LOCAL MP Gordon Prentice is supporting the setting up of a new Mental Health Trust in Lancashire.

He hoped the new trust would bring about a new focus on the quality and range of mental health services, their availability and accessibility.

Mr Prentice added: "There has been a real problem in East Lancashire getting suitably qualified staff within mental health and a new trust will, I hope, be able to address this problem."

He was also keen to see the provision of more specialist services adding: "For example in the past the very small number of young people suffering from dementia have had no specific help and were grouped in with elderly dementia sufferers."

Pendle MP Mr Prentice commented: "At the moment we have seven different NHS Trusts providing mental health services within Lancashire.

"A larger Trust which focused only on mental health would provide a wider range of specialist services which has to be a good thing."