CHIEF constable Andy Rhodes has spoken out on the county's mental health crisis after a man found hanging over a bridge on the M6 near Blackburn is said to have waited 32 hours 'for proper care'.

Lancashire's top police officer praised members of the public who helped to rescue the unnamed man, on a bridge between junction 30 at Bamber Bridge and junction 31 for Samlesbury.

But Mr Rhodes, who was formerly Blackburn's divisional commander, said the delay in securing adequate treatment for the man, after he was talked down last Wednesday morning, was "totally unacceptable".

He has been an outspoken critic of the amount of time his officers are spending on dealing with vulnerable men and women on the front line.

Responding to a post on Twitter, he added: "We are doing this but if there's a vulnerable person at risk we always respond it’s just that too many people are getting to this point of crisis due to lack of early support."

His intervention came on the same day as Lancashire Care, the county's mental health services provider, released a briefing on urgent actions the organisation was taking to tackle the "significant increase" in patient numbers Lancashire-wide.

The Lancashire Telegraph had previously revealed the existence of the crisis plan, after a report detailed how the rate of vulnerable individuals, requiring intervention for their own safety, was set to treble within five years.

Lancashire Care has pressed ahead with its planned withdrawal of services from Burnley General Hospital, with services now only offered at the Hillview and Pendleview units at the former Queen's Park Hospital site in Blackburn.

But officials have said 12 assessment beds have been opened at Blackburn, as part of revised proposals for 319 beds to be on offer across Lancashire, with extra ones also being commissioned from private operator Priory to meet demand.

The NHS trust also has a flagship hospital near Blackpool and units in Lancaster, Chorley and Ormskirk, with a specialist mother and baby unit having also opened in Central Lancashire.

But a Lancashire Care spokesman said: "Despite these additional services, the increase in demand includes a substantial increase in the number of acutely mentally unwell patients attending the accident and emergency and urgent care centres across Lancashire. This has also impacted on wider services, for example, (of) Lancashire Constabulary and the North West Ambulance Service."

Patients in the community are also awaiting beds, it has been accepted, adding extra pressures to the admissions system.

An action plan is now being enforced, centring on improved 'decision units' to support high-risk patients and a review of crisis and home treatment teams.

Health bosses say they are also working closely with police and ambulance officials to identify and assist 'frequent attenders'. Extra staff are also being sought for mental health liaison teams at acute units and support is being sought from GPs to lessen the admissions impact.

Lancashire Care has also drafted in the assistance of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation, in a bid to tackle the problems.