I was interested to read John Henderson's letter (13 August) on a means of waiting list management in child and adolescent mental health services.

My own profession of clinical psychology has, over the past 10 years, researched a number of different approaches to waiting list management in mental health services.

This research has all appeared in our professional journal - Clinical Psychology Forum - published by the British Psychological Society.

The approaches to managing waiting lists covered have included the management of referral input, the care process, throughput and discharge thresholds.

Examples include opt-in systems, splitting assessment from treatment, brief therapy, improving patient compliance, and exploring different care options.

Managers and professional colleagues facing waiting list problems may wish to approach their local clinical psychology service to obtain copies of this research.

Alternatively, readers can contact me to obtain a copy of the waiting list management reference list that I have produced.

WM Jellema

Clinical psychology manger (mental health)

Durham County Priority

Services trust

Maiden Law Hospital

Lanchester

Co Durham

DH7 0QN

Tel: 01207-214795