COSTLY agency staff used across the NHS in Worcestershire has helped a mental health body go £250,000 into the red, after just two months of spending.

Plans from the Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership Trust are already in place to remove the reliance on outside staff, the use of which rocketed its expenditure on salaries and wages during April and May.

Although the trust agreed the use of agency workers could never be fully eliminated, Ian McCarley, finance director, felt the agency commission rates were far too high and had caused the overspending.

Making his comments at a trust board meeting, he added: "We have had the problems we have had for some time (staff levels), including medical staff and nursing staff."

He said coping with sickness, providing locums and covering vacant staff grade medical posts were some of the reasons why agencies had been brought in.

After the meeting, he said bringing in new NHS staff through university schemes, on-site training and educating existing staff to handle more tasks was the way forward.

However, he added that all current consultant positions had been filled.

Colin Vines, director of nursing, agreed with Mr McCarley's sentiments and outlined schemes in place to combat the shortfall.

He said that 15 members of unqualified staff in health, social services and the voluntary sector had completed a certificate in Community Mental Health Care.

The qualification allows people who may never have had the opportunity, to gain direct access to nurse training.

The trust is also sponsoring a team of four people on a three-year day release course to become qualified with an MSc in Mental Health.

A rolling internal advertisement is also now in place to ensure there is always a vacancy to apply for.