APG holds roundtable on future of gambling treatment and support services

On Wednesday (25 March), the Assembly All Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling hosted a roundtable which brought together politicians, healthcare professionals, frontline service providers, Stormont officials and experts to discuss the future of gambling treatment services in Northern Ireland.

There are currently no statutory treatment services for people experiencing gambling related harms in NI; support is largely dependent on community and voluntary organisations, including Extern Problem Gambling, Dunlewey Addiction Services, Cuan Mhuire, and Chapter One.

Participants heard a presentation from Oscar Donnelly, former Director of Mental Health at the Northern Trust, who outlined a proposed model for treatment and support services in NI informed by APG recommendations on a public health approach to tackling gambling related harms. Dr Matt Gaskell MBE, Consultant Psychologist and head of the NHS Northern Gambling Service, and Prof Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE, Consultant Psychiatrist and National Advisor on Gambling Harms to NHS England, shared lessons from their experience rolling out NHS gambling harms services across England.

Among the issues discussed were the importance of having clear pathways for self-referral, there being “no wrong door” for people experiencing gambling harms, and the need for statutory services and charities to work together.

Speaking after the event, APG Chair Philip McGuigan MLA called for NI to receive a “fair share” of the levy on remote gambling operators in GB, saying it could “transform support for individuals and families affected by gambling harms”.

The event was covered by Business First.