Sir: It is my impression that psychiatrists are not asserting themselves in medico-politics to the extent that their numbers would justify. We recently lost Mental Health Officer status for new entrants into the speciality with remarkably little complaint, and with what complaint there was being wholly ignored by the British Medical Association. At present the British Medical Association seems to be considering requesting an abolition of the 10% private practice earnings rule for those on full-time contracts. The altern atives proposed seem to be a reduction in sessions for all contracts to 10 sessions, which would mean a pay cut for those presently on 11 sessions, or an increase in sessions to those presently on a maximum part-time contract. It is quite clear which option managers and politi cians would choose, and it is also quite clear that both options would disadvantage those consul tants on whole time contracts. It is my impres sion that the majority of psychiatrists are on whole time contracts. Again, therefore, it would seem that the BMAis acting in a way prejudicial to our speciality's best interests. We should