NICE advises UK healthcare providers to pay attention to patients' gambling habits
Date: 2023-10-05 Author: Kirill Zagoruyko Categories: EVENTS
To tackle the growing problem of harmful gambling, the UK's National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) has released draft guidance recommending that healthcare professionals in the UK ask patients about their gambling behavior during health checks and GP visits.
Health professionals urge patients to evaluate gambling addiction
NICE's draft guidance highlights the need for health professionals to identify and address gambling risks when patients show signs of mental health problems or possible addiction. According to the guidelines, people should be asked to assess the severity of their gambling habits by completing a questionnaire available on the NHS website. This questionnaire, based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), helps people determine their level of risk. A score of 8 or higher indicates a need for specialized support, while those with lower scores may also benefit from available resources.
The guide also recommends discussing the use of blocking software or tools to limit online gambling and suggests cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment option. CBT has proven effective in helping people identify triggers and manage thoughts and urges associated with gambling episodes, making it a valuable tool in combating harmful gambling habits.
“Harmful gambling causes enormous suffering to everyone who encounters it. We want to ensure that those who need help or are at risk are identified earlier and receive appropriate care,” said Professor Jonathan Benger, Chief Medical Officer and Interim Director of the NICE Guidelines Centre.
NHS expands treatment clinics and engages families
According to a recent review by Public Health England, around 300,000 adults in England suffer from problem gambling. In addition, approximately 3.8 million people, including adults, children and young people, are affected by someone's gambling problem. To tackle the problem, NHS England has opened 12 gambling treatment clinics across the country since 2019, with plans to open three more in the coming months. These specialist clinics, fully funded by the NHS, are expected to treat around 3,000 people each year.
The NICE draft guidance also emphasizes the importance of involving family members, partners or significant others in the treatment process if both the patient and those involved agree to this. While the National Health Service is taking proactive measures to support people suffering from gambling addiction, the UK government is also making efforts to curb the problem.
The White Paper, published earlier this year, set out comprehensive reforms, including the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund research into, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm. The government plans to launch a consultation on the specifics of the statutory levy in the coming weeks.
Health professionals urge patients to evaluate gambling addiction
NICE's draft guidance highlights the need for health professionals to identify and address gambling risks when patients show signs of mental health problems or possible addiction. According to the guidelines, people should be asked to assess the severity of their gambling habits by completing a questionnaire available on the NHS website. This questionnaire, based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), helps people determine their level of risk. A score of 8 or higher indicates a need for specialized support, while those with lower scores may also benefit from available resources.
The guide also recommends discussing the use of blocking software or tools to limit online gambling and suggests cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment option. CBT has proven effective in helping people identify triggers and manage thoughts and urges associated with gambling episodes, making it a valuable tool in combating harmful gambling habits.
“Harmful gambling causes enormous suffering to everyone who encounters it. We want to ensure that those who need help or are at risk are identified earlier and receive appropriate care,” said Professor Jonathan Benger, Chief Medical Officer and Interim Director of the NICE Guidelines Centre.
NHS expands treatment clinics and engages families
According to a recent review by Public Health England, around 300,000 adults in England suffer from problem gambling. In addition, approximately 3.8 million people, including adults, children and young people, are affected by someone's gambling problem. To tackle the problem, NHS England has opened 12 gambling treatment clinics across the country since 2019, with plans to open three more in the coming months. These specialist clinics, fully funded by the NHS, are expected to treat around 3,000 people each year.
The NICE draft guidance also emphasizes the importance of involving family members, partners or significant others in the treatment process if both the patient and those involved agree to this. While the National Health Service is taking proactive measures to support people suffering from gambling addiction, the UK government is also making efforts to curb the problem.
The White Paper, published earlier this year, set out comprehensive reforms, including the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund research into, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm. The government plans to launch a consultation on the specifics of the statutory levy in the coming weeks.
