More NHS psychiatrists needed to improve care

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has said that more NHS psychiatrists should be recruited to improve care and change the current postcode lottery of care.

For example, the group revealed that London's total number of NHS psychiatrists is more than double that of the east of England. Furthermore, there are 10 consultant psychiatrists per 100,000 people in Scotland, compared to eight for the same number in England and Northern Ireland, and six in Wales.

Reports show that there has been a 1.7 per cent increase in psychiatry consultants in England in the past five years, compared with a a 20.2 per cent increase in other consultancy areas.

Health ministers have stated that thousands of new posts were already planned, with plans for an extra 570 consultant psychiatrists by 2020-21.

Wendy Burn, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: "People with a severe mental illness should expect to see a specialist consultant, just as you would for a severe physical illness. The huge variation in consultant psychiatrists across the country means reality is increasingly falling short of our expectations.

"As highly skilled medics, psychiatrists must be able to spot the nuance in symptoms, ask the right questions, and understand what the problem is. Without psychiatrists to lead specialist mental health teams we cannot deliver the high-quality care that our patients deserve."