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New, radical solutions are needed to tackle staff shortages in mental health services as there is still too much reliance on traditional educational routes for new staff.

A guide from the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health states that many organisations simply make the best use of current resources and do not explore how things could be done differently.

It suggests that radical solutions need to be tried and evaluated. One way of expanding the workforce would be via schemes that support service users into mainstream employment in mental health services.

Figures show that just 4 per cent of nurses registered in the UK are mental nurses while around 12 per cent of consultant psychiatrist posts are vacant. As many as 10,000 new workers are needed.

- More at www.scmh.org.uk