NHS boosts support for gambling addiction
Seven new NHS gambling addiction clinics are opening this summer as referrals increase more than a third year-on-year.
When it comes dealing with addiction, mental health nurses would traditionally have expected to be dealing mainly with alcohol and drug misuse. However, gambling addiction is also rapidly becoming a major health issue. According to Gambling Commission statistics, around 138,000 people could be problem gambling. And a government evidence review has put the figure even higher, estimating that 0.5% of the UK population reached the threshold to be considered problem gamblers.
With referrals to Gambling Harms Services up more than a third year-on-year in 2022-23, the NHS is adapting to these new healthcare needs by rapidly expanding the support services for people experiencing gambling-related mental health issues. Seven new gambling addiction clinics are opening, taking the total across England to 14, in addition to the National Problem Gambling Clinic, based in North West London. This gives the NHS capacity to treat up to 3000 patients each year.
What is a gambling addiction clinic?
Gambling addiction clinics provide a range of treatments and support for people who are experiencing serious addiction issues, which can affect their personal health and wellbeing, as well as impacting on relationships, work and other aspects of their lives. The clinics are staffed by multi-disciplinary teams, which may include psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, mental health nurses, therapists and peer support workers.
Treatments available in the clinics typically include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), family therapy and support groups, as well as aftercare. Support is usually also provided to patients’ partners, family members and carers.
Why is gambling addictive?
According the Mental Health Foundation, “people gamble for many reasons: the adrenaline rush to win money, to socialise or to escape from worries or stress”. Unfortunately, for some people the urge to gamble can become uncontrollable.
Enjoyable and rewarding experiences can release the hormone dopamine in our bodies, leading to feelings of euphoria and pleasure. That ‘feel good’ factor can be addictive, causing you to repeat the activity to experience the resultant ‘high’ over and over again. If you get addicted to gambling, other pleasurable activities may feel inadequate. You gamble to achieve a real buzz.
The need for specialist care
Diagnosing gambling addiction can be challenging in non-specialist primary care settings because the patient rarely displays any obvious physical or mental health symptoms. In an interview with Independent Nurse, Dr Venetia Leondidaki, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the National Problem Gambling Clinic, recommended that nurses be aware of gambling addiction when patients present with issues linked to financial strains or other mental health issues. “We advise primary care staff to use screening tools, such as the problem gambling index,” said Dr Leondidaki.
The charity GambleAware has published a Competency Framework for those working in primary care jobs. It’s designed to describe the breadth of skills required by medical and non-medical practitioners to ensure the provision of safe, effective and high-quality support to those experiencing gambling harm.
