Welcoming a call for a long term mental health plan for England by the Centre for Mental Health and other groups, Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy, NHS Providers, said:

"More than 1.8 million people are on the waiting list for mental health services. NHS trusts are very worried about so many people, particularly children and young people, not getting the help they need.

"Not enough staff and resources makes it impossible for hard-working but overstretched services to care for more people more quickly and combat deep-rooted racial and other inequalities.

"The pressure on mental health services demands long-term investment in and support for prevention and early intervention.

"We need too substantially more capital investment in mental health services to boost trusts' ability to better meet rising demand and to modernise out-of-date buildings and facilities to give patients the right environments for treatment."