Patients face a “mental health postcode lottery” as the availability of healthcare professionals double in some parts of the country, the Telegraph has reported.

New research, published by NHS Digital, shows that twice as many consultant psychiatrists are available in some parts of the country compared to others.

It says for every 100,000 people in the North Central and East London region, there are around 12 consultant psychiatrists providing mental health care.

This is compared to the East of England and Yorkshire and Humber, where the same number of people in these regions have access to just five consultants.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists says this is the lowest number of anywhere in England.

Comparatively, Scotland has access to 10 per 100,000 people, while Wales has six. The average number across the UK is eight.

Professor Wendy Burn, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “People with a severe mental illness should expect to see a specialist consultant, just as you would for a severe physical illness.

“The huge variation in consultant psychiatrists across the country means reality is increasingly falling short of our expectations.

“No matter where you work in the UK, being a psychiatrist is a privilege.

“As highly skilled medics, psychiatrists must be able to spot the nuance in symptoms, ask the right questions, and understand what the problem is.

“Without psychiatrists to lead specialist mental health teams we cannot deliver the high-quality care that our patients deserve.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: “We want people with mental health conditions to receive better treatment and that means having the right NHS staff.

“We have started one of the biggest expansions of mental health services in Europe with our ambition to create 21,000 new posts by 2021 by supporting those already in the profession to stay and giving incentives to those considering a career in mental health.”