New gambling addiction clinic for Milton Keynes
The NHS has seen a dramatic rise in referrals over the past year
Last updated 2nd Jul 2023
It was announced this weekend that the NHS are ramping up support for people with gambling addiction. Its as Health officials have recently raised the concern over both children and adults being “bombarded” with gambling adverts and a record number of people seeking help for it in England.
NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard also sounded the alarm over "touch of a button" bets as she announced that the NHS is ramping up support for people with gambling problems.
In response, new specialist clinics are to be opened because of soaring demand for care.
It’s reported that a record 1,389 patients were referred for help last year, compared 1,013 last year and 775 two years ago.
As a result, the NHS is launching seven more specialist gambling clinics to support people who are struggling.
The announcement comes just days after a coroner ruled that a gambling disorder contributed to the death of a father-of-two.
Luke Ashton had lost thousands of pounds gambling on Betfair's exchange before he died by suicide at the age of 40 on April 22, 2021 and had previously racked up debts of £18,000.
At the conclusion of a three-day inquest into his death at Leicester Coroner's Court on Thursday, area coroner Ivan Cartwright said the betting company could have done more to help him before he took his own life.
The new NHS clinics were to be set up in Milton Keynes, Thurrock, Bristol, Derby, Liverpool, Blackpool, and Sheffield.
This is on top of clinics already running in most cities in England ,as well as a national clinic, which treats both gambling and gaming addiction in children and young people, based in London.
The NHS plans to treat up to 3,000 patients a year across the 15 clinics.
Patients with serious addiction will be helped though cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy, support groups and aftercare.
Psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists, mental health nurses and peer support workers will staff the clinics, offering support to patients as well as
"Record numbers of people are coming to the NHS for help to treat their gambling addiction, a cruel disease which has the power to destroy people's lives, with referrals up by more than a third compared to last year.”
Commenting on the new clinics, Public Health Minister Neil O' Brien said: "The stark rise in the number of people seeking NHS treatment for gambling-related harms shows the devastating impact it can have on people's lives and health.
"These new clinics will bring vital support to more parts of the country, so thousands more people can get the help they need.”