Luciana Berger MP, Labour’s Shadow Public Health Minister, responding to an NHS England report that admits for the first time that urgent action is now needed in children’s mental health services, said:

“Today’s report reveals the true extent of the crisis in children and young people’s mental health services. David Cameron is cutting the funding for mental health services by 20% more than hospital trusts. Now, up and down the country, there’s a shortage of mental health beds that forces some of the most vulnerable children and young people to travel hundreds of miles from home to get the care they need.

“This appalling picture shows just how badly the Government has failed to make mental health a priority. It is a national scandal and the Government’s announcement comes nowhere near addressing the scale of the challenge we are facing. It is why David Cameron can’t be trusted on the NHS.”