MORE resources need to be diverted to mental health rehabilitation services in this part of Hampshire, claims a leading health official.

Speaking to the Community Health Council in Andover, Martin Barkley, the chief executive of West Hampshire NHS Trust, said: "In this area there is no explicit mental health rehabilitation service but you don't need me to tell you that there is a huge demand on resources.

"But the NHS does spend quite a lot of money on services that are pretty close to being rehabilitation services."

One of these is the provision of housing for people who have left acute mental health care and Mr Barkley said following the closure of Park Prewitt mental hospital in Basingstoke there had been over provision of such housing via housing associations.

Money from this area could be transferred to help fund the mental health rehabilitation service.

Andover councillor Pat West said the housing authorities had been pressured into making sure there was more than enough housing following the changes at the hospital.

The changing aspiration of younger people have had a significant impact on the demand for housing.

"Many younger people do not want to live in housing association 24 hour staffed accommodation because they have to share bathrooms and kitchens and because they are only allowed £16 spending money a week," said Mr Barkley. "Which isn't enough for 20 cigarettes a day, let alone anything else they want."

The latest proposals if accepted would move staff to where they are most needed rather than try to move people to the staff. Mr Barklet said the trust was seeking the views of all stakeholders to discover how much support there is for the idea.