Speaking at the NHS Alliance Mental Health and Learning Disabilities conference this week, Dr Broughton said providers ‘should be ambitious in what we can achieve'.

The national priority programme director for mental health, learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders was appointed in February.

In his speech, Dr Broughton, who is also chief executive of the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West and Frimley ICB cluster, acknowledged the ‘very negative perception of the sector', with ‘real concerns regarding the quality of services that are being provided'.

Dr Broughton also noted there was a ‘marked variation' in service, with providers having struggled to share best practice.

‘Fundamental change is needed if we are to address the fundamental issues of supply and demand,' he said.

The national director also noted the general increase in common mental health conditions, particularly among young people, acknowledging the influence of deprivation and poverty.

However, Dr Broughton said there were ‘multiple reasons for optimism', adding mental health providers were ‘ahead of the game' on the Government's three shifts.

‘We have a good track record in terms of transformation and innovation,' he said.

While acknowledging the limited resources available, Dr Broughton said his priorities were: treating people with the most severe illnesses; children's and young people's mental health; addressing ‘embarrassingly long' autism and ADHD waiting lists; and implementing the recommendations of the mental health taskforce report and the revised Mental Health Act.

Dr Broughton said the four reviews being carried out into the sector offered a ‘real opportunity' for transformation.