During budget estimates on Tuesday, the state's chief psychiatrist Dr Aaron Groves said the health service was having difficulty recruiting mental health staff.

RELATED: Health Minister denies misleading public on adolescent mental health beds

Dr Groves led a trip to the UK in January, aimed at recruiting mental health workers for the state.

However, he told the Legislative Council the three people offered positions did not accept them.

Mental Health Council of Tasmania chief executive Connie Digolis said it would take extensive training and recruitment to ensure the best mental health care.

"A lot of the discussion during the estimates hearings was in regards to bed numbers and the associated infrastructure," she said.

"What was helpful was some of the questions raised regarding the staffing of new facilities.

"We are concerned there is no provision for ensuring we will have the skilled workforce in place to staff the new community mental health facilities."

RELATED: Mental Health Council of Tasmania calls for more preventative health initiatives

Health Minister Michael Ferguson denied misleading the public around the number of dedicated mental health beds being built as part of Launceston General Hospital's Ward 4K development and the K block facility at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

Ms Digolis said it was never her understanding that the wards would be exclusively for mental health patients.

"This confusion is unhelpful as it diverts attention away from the fact that there will soon be beds available for young people where previously there were none," she said.

"The focus needs to be preventing young people from going to hospital at all.

"It is high time that there are dedicated beds for young people so as they do not have to be admitted to adult or even paediatric units to receive their care.

"Now that there will be facilities in the hospital we need to ensure there are more initiatives that support young people before they reach crisis point, that hospital is truly the last port of call."