Mixed reaction in East Lancashire to news that thousands more mental health workers are to be recruited by the NHS in England

Some have described the move as "not adding up", while others see it as "very positive" investment in mental health services.

The £1.3bn plan, announced by health secretary Jeremy Hunt, would see 21,000 new posts created, and aims to recruit enough nurses, therapists and consultants to treat an extra one million patients by 2020-21.

But the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in the North West said the plans "do not appear to add up" and do not address the gaps in the area's workforce.

The RCN said there are 3,030 confirmed nurse vacancies across the region but it is estimated that the figure could be as high as 4,489.

Estephanie Dunn, Regional Director for the RCN in the region, said: ""We welcome the Government’s pledge to invest in the mental health workforce.

"However, their proposals do not appear to add up.

"There is already a significant gap in the UK nursing workforce underpinned by inadequate workforce planning and this report is unable to provide detail on how the ambitions will be met."

While East Lancashire's patients' champion Russ McLean described the plans as 'astounding' and the funding as a "drop in the ocean".

"These plans are quite astounding when you consider that it takes five years for someone to go through nurse/GP training, and a further three years for mental health training," said Mr McLean.

"In Lancashire, we've seen health services have to take on agency staff and locum staff and I can't see these plans changing things."

But both NHS Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs welcomed the plans.

Dr Rakesh Sharma clinical lead at the CCGs said:“Mental health is high on agenda of both CCGs and we look forward to more investment and resources to further improve mental health of our population.”

Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust , which provides health and wellbeing services in the county, also supported the plans, saying: "The government’s announcement is very positive and we welcome any added investment in mental health services."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the measures are "ambitious, but essential for delivering the high performing and well-resourced mental health services we all want to see.”

The plans include:

• 2,000 additional nurses, consultants and therapist posts created in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services;

• 2,900 additional therapists and other allied health professionals supporting expanded access to adult talking therapies;

• 4,800 additional posts for nurses and therapists working in crisis care settings, with the majority of these (4,600) being nursing positions.

The blueprint aims to provide services seven days a week, 24 hours a day and properly integrate mental and physical health services for the first time.