GambleAware has announced the creation of a new National Health Service treatment service worth more than £1 million in Leeds which will serve the northern part of the country.
The NHS Northern Gambling Clinic will open in April 2019 and operate through a partnership between Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the GamCare Network.
Gamcare is also developing a Problem Gambling Support team for the local area to help identify, screen, and support those affected by problem gambling, according to a report at igaminbusiness.com.
GambleAware currently operates a clinic in s London clinic, which is provided by Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust. The Leeds site is the second service of its kind to be funded by the charity.
“Our aim is to stop people getting into problems with their gambling, and to ensure those that do develop problems receive fast and effective treatment and support,” said Marc Etches, chief executive of GambleAware in a press release. “GamCare and the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are adopting an integrated approach, from training and support of Primary Care and City Council services, through to identification and access to treatment, promoting a seamless care pathway and shared responsibility for case management.”
Etches also said GambleAware continues to explore sites for more such clinics, depending on the group’s ability to fund such facilities.
Meanwhile, the recently launched GAMSTOP Self-Exclusion program for problem gamblers announced the program has seen more than 38,000 registrations since it went live in April. The free GAMSTOP service allows gamblers to exclude themselves from UK gambling websites with a single registration, seen as a key tool to help problem gamblers.
“We are very pleased with the response to GAMSTOP so far as the initial uptake proves there is clearly a need for this scheme,” GAMSTOP CEO Fiona Palmer said in a press release. “We will shortly be embarking on our first phase of evaluation which will help shape future improvements and enhancements to the service going forward.”
