There has been an increasing awareness of the usefulness of psychotherapy as a treatment modality for people with learning disabilities and mental health problems over recent years. However, the difficulties involved in providing appropriate training and supervision in this field has resulted in a patchy and erratic development of service provision nationally (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2004). A review by Hollins and Sinason (2000) of all the available published evidence found that nationally there was inadequate availability of psychological treatments for people with learning disabilities, that there had been few outcome studies published and most of the literature consisted of single case studies. They recommended that ongoing clinical audit, using standard outcome measures, should be part of learning disability psychotherapy service protocols, and that psychotherapy training and supervision should be made available to health and social care practitioners in the learning disability field.

In June 2005 it became mandatory for psychiatric trainees to receive training directly from people who experience mental health problems and their carers. This will be checked on approval visits to all training schemes, and accreditation may be withheld until this aspect of training is in place. For many of those who are responsible for training, this may be a new undertaking. We outline some of the issues that trainers need to consider when involving service users and carers in their training programmes, including background issues, how to prepare both those delivering and those receiving training, and logistical considerations. It is hoped that this paper will alert trainers to issues that need to be considered if such training is to be successful.

The function of the mental health review tribunal is defined in Part V of the Mental Health Act 1983. Together with statute and Common Law, it provides safeguards to those detained under the Act. The provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 have strengthened these safeguards. The key articles in Schedule 1 of the Human Rights Act are 5(1)(e), relating to the lawful detention of persons of unsound mind; 5(4), providing that the lawfulness of such detention shall be decided speedily by a court; 6, providing for a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law; and 8, establishing the right to respect for a private and family life. The latter is relevant to disclosure, nearest relatives' rights, and treatment.

The Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) is an ‘independent regulatory body which sets standards, approves, quality assures and evaluates postgraduate medical education and training in the UK’ (Thomas, 2005). The Board was launched in September 2005, although it will be another 2–3 years before it will become fully functional as the single competent authority for postgraduate medical education and training. It is worth noting that the remit of the PMETB does not encompass undergraduate medical education, training for pre-registration doctors or dental education and training. The three important areas of activity of PMETB include approval of curricula and assessments, certification and quality assurance. The first two of these are of immediate and direct relevance to trainees. Brown's paper ‘The Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) goes live’ (2005, this issue) gives an excellent overview of the origins, structure and roles and responsibilities of the PMETB. However, one key aspect that is not discussed in Brown's paper is the impact of PMETB on trainees and training. We will highlight some of these issues and discuss concerns which trainees have raised regarding changes to training which will arise in the wake of the PMETB.