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The UK government proposals for services for individuals considered to be dangerous with a severe personality disorder (DSPD) are developing. The complex task of balancing safety and therapeutic change in DSPD services will rest largely upon the skills, knowledge and practice of the staff group. As a result, one challenge for DSPD services is to provide sufficient training and support to staff, in order to ensure that adequate resources are available to assist them in processing their emotional reactions to their work. As part of this, clinical supervision systems need to be developed to offer professional support and learning, enabling individual practitioners to develop knowledge and competence and assume responsibility for their own practice (DoH, 1993). Among the service developments at Rampton Hospital an innovative multi‐professional supervision strategy has been introduced for all staff working in the unit. This paper describes the evolving supervision framework, including a new tool, the ‘Supervision Matrix’, and implementation guidelines, and describes how this supervision framework will be evaluated.

IF we devote this page largely to the Library Association we believe our readers, who are the most active workers in librarianship, will think us justified because the Association is the central fact in our lives. Its Annual Report for 1955 has reached us. It is a document to be read, appreciated and criticised; we only wish we could say that it always is, for then surely some of the tart utterances about the inactivity, even uselessness, of our organization would be evaluated at their real worth or want of it. The Association does not work by means of press campaigns, or illegal dismissal of members who do not fulfil all its professional ethical codes. It has more direct access to the Government than is usually known. It was not quiescent when the Post‐master General increased book and newspaper postage; with other folk of influence it went to see him. It is not idle when posts are advertised at rates unsuitably parsimonious; it protests to the authorities issuing them invariably, and it makes it clear to chartered librarians that in applying for such posts they undersell and betray us all. Unfortunately these, the only lawful methods open to the Association, do not influence certain members. In fifteen cases, twelve were filled by those who will remember all their lives that they “let down the side” and probably at least five times as many were also their competitors. This is merely an explanatory word to those who complain of inaction.

THE death of Sir John Ballinger was the cardinal library event of January. Elsewhere one of our contributors has gathered his memories of this distinguished past president of the Library Association. Here we pay tribute to a great librarian whose devotion to all that is best in the service was life‐long and who received honours which are not always given to librarians. Achieving a relatively important library position in early life, he not only gave his city an admirable service; he found time to work for all the general interests of the profession. The respect and gratitude, and indeed the affection, of all of us surrounded his later years and go with him to his grave. Our sympathy is respectfully expressed to Lady Ballinger and her family.