Gambling addiction services in England will receive extra funding, the UK government has announced.
Earlier this week, the UK government published its NHS Long Term Plan, a ten-year strategy for health spending, which focuses on investing in the UK’s mental health services.
Under the strategy, the mental health services are expected to rise around £2.3 billion a year by 2024. Additional funding and resources will be given out around the country and new services dedicated to treating gambling addictions will be created.
It’s expected that around two million more people who currently suffer from anxiety, depression and other mental health issues will receive help over the following decade.
A Department of Health spokesperson said in a statement: “There will be a new guarantee that investment in primary, community and mental health care will grow faster than the growing overall NHS budget.
“This will fund a £4.5 billion new service model for the 21st century across England, where health bodies come together to provide better, joined up care in partnership with local government.”
Meanwhile, Theresa May has ordered Health Secretary Matt Hancock to open more gambling addiction clinics as, at the time of writing, there is only one based in Fulham, south-west London.
It was announced last year that the NHS was partnering with charity GambleAware to launch a new gambling addiction centre in Leeds. The clinic is set to open in April 2019 and will provide treatment services for people in the North of England.
Speaking in November, Marc Etches, the Chief Executive of GambleAware, said: “Our aim is to stop people getting into problems with their gambling and to ensure those that do develop problems receive fast and effective treatment and support.”
“GamCare and the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are adopting an integrated approach, from training and support of Primary Care and City Council Services, through to identification and access to treatment, promoting a seamless care pathway and shared responsibility for case management.”
