UK Actively Advances Gambling Healthcare Services For At-Risk Punters

March 2020 has seen both NatWest (RBS Group) and the NHS Northern Gambling Service take great strides forward in providing British citizen with expanded boots-on-the-ground assistance in dealing with the pressures of compulsive and addicting behaviours.

Walk-In Consultation Pilot Goes Core

The partnership program between NatWest and GamCare has been a resounding success, with the bank offering walk-in gambling health consultations to at-risk players at 13 locations. The banking environment created a safe, judgment-free space, where seekers could receive guidance and counselling from GamCare trained staff while retaining a sense of anonymity.

Chief executive Alison Rose said:

“Our work with GamCare has delivered real benefits for the users of its services. We are working with GamCare to consider how to best extend the scheme to more locations.”

This move from a pilot program to core 2020 project will ensure that even more at-risk players get the support they need as the program will now begin implementing the support service across its swathe of 850 Highstreet banks.

NHS Lends A Helping Hand In Manchester

Manchester’s Salford Quay’s has seen the launch of a new clinic by the NHS which offers at-risk gamblers and others suffering under the strain of various addictions the support and guidance they need to overcome their situations.

The clinic boasts a senior mental health care nurse, a psychiatrist and several psychologists who will all be available to resident dealing with a range of complex mental health and addiction-related problems.

Matthew Gaskell, Clinical Lead for NHS Northern Gambling Service, said:

“I’m delighted to be opening our new clinic in Manchester. This will help make our service more accessible to people in the North West of England where we know there are thousands who need our support. Gambling addiction is a new public health crisis. It’s causing serious harm to thousands of people across the UK.”

He capped this sombre comment with a note of hope stating in his experience “the chances of recovery from addictions like problem gambling can be very good”, the only caveat is that “people make good sustained recoveries when they seek help”.

A Hope Of Salvation

With the expansion of the NatWest/GamCare project in 2020 and the NHS launching mental health clinics the hope is that players and their families will seek out these professional healthcare services and give themselves the chance to get out from under the boot heel of oppression.