A new gambling clinic has opened in Sheffield, making it the latest of 15 services to open across the country.
The clinic aims to help people with gambling addictions, providing them with clinical psychologists, therapists and peer support.
Matthew Gaskell, a Consultant Psychologist and Clinical Lead for the NHS Northern Gambling Service said: “Gambling harm can be serious, and we have a specific problem amongst the student population, where gambling can lead to students dropping out of their courses. It is a crucial part of an overall public health strategy to address gambling related harm.”
Services will be offered to adults over 18 who are concerned about their gambling habits, but also their loved ones who might be affected by it and is funded by the £2.3 billion per year investment into mental health services which was announced in the long term plan in 2019.
Mr Gaskell said the clinic offers “gold standard evidence-based talking therapy in an individual and group format” and also peer support from people with lived experience who can act as “role models and inspiration for change”.
He also said that “gambling harm can be serious”, highlighting the specific problem amongst the student population, where gambling can lead to students dropping out of their courses.
The opening event featured an emotional speech by Judith Bruney, the mother of Chris Bruney, who was 25 when he died in April 2017.
He had gambled more than £100,000.
Sheffield City Council’s finance committee also recently agreed to make a ban on advertising products such as vaping, gambling and junkfood on the council-owned billboards.
The ban will also apply to the council’s online media and sponsorship opportunities.
Councillor Angela Argenzio, the Chair of the Adult Health and Social Care Policy Committee said: “Whatever we can do as a city from a health point of view we will do but ultimatley what needs to change is the system and the legal framework that allows the advertising to still happen.”
She added: “In the way gambling is normalised, we need to normalise the conversation around the dangers of gambling.
“The suicide rates amongst people with gambling addiction is very high and the demographic of those people taking their lives is quite young so there are lives cut short and families completely destroyed.”
The Sheffield clinic will aim to talk about the need for tighter regulations and strengthening gambling laws, as well as teaching different professionals in training, such as psychologists, nurses, and doctors.
Mr Gaskell added: “We are lucky in Sheffield to have such a proactive city in addressing [gambling addiction].”
For more information, visit the Northern Gambling Service website.