Health chiefs have been forced to launch a major recruitment drive to find more top psychiatrists to avert a crisis in mental health services.

Bosses at Bradford Community Health NHS Trust yesterday approved proposals to employ five extra consultant psychiatrists.

The organisation, which runs mental health services in the Bradford city area, has the equivalent of 6.5 specialists dealing with adult patients but is still seven short in that speciality according to national guidelines drawn up by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

It faces losing backing from the college which approves advertisements for consultant posts unless extra doctors are taken on in what would be a major blow to recruitment prospects.

In a report to a meeting of the Trust board yesterday, medical director Dr Simon Baugh said the overall number of consultants was well below the royal college's recommended level.

Bradford was unattractive due to a heavy workload faced by specialists coupled with a poorly resourced inner-city service while a national shortage of psychiatrists added to problems.

If staffing levels fell too far below the Royal College's recommended levels, it would not approve job descriptions making Bradford appear even less attractive to prospective candidates.

Urgent approval was needed for two posts dealing with adult and elderly patients with a further recruitment of three more consultants in the next year to bring the number nearer national recommended levels.

Dr Baugh told the meeting more than two-thirds of trusts faced similar problems and the problem was not going to go away.

"It's going to get increasingly difficult to keep up quality of service," he said.

Trust chairman John Watson said it was a major issue of concern and the extra recruitment was clearly needed.

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