GamCare sets new three-year agenda to ensure all communities access to gambling treatment support

GamCare will operate under a new ‘organisational strategy’, executed over the next three years (2021-to-2024) to ensure that access to problem gambling treatment is maintained across all of the UK’s public health networks. 

The charity states that its new organisational mandate will build on the success of its 2018-to-2021 strategy, which saw its organisation support over 100,000 people facing gambling-related harms.

During the period, GamCare saw its support services transformed beyond operating the National Gambling Helpline, with the charity leading treatment provisions for 160 locations across the UK and training +23,000 healthcare professionals to identify harms.

Expanding its support services, GamCare notes that it has registered a 10% year-on-year increase in people seeking direct advice from its organisation.

Its new organisational approach has been formed taking into account the new social challenges that charities in mental health, addiction and treatment will face in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic.  

A key focus will be on removing treatment barriers for low income and minority ethnic communities, which are currently recognised as the hardest segments to provide care for.

“We see that the pandemic is widening existing inequalities and we will work to make sure that gambling support is available to all regardless of where they live.” GamCare commented on accountability.  

GamCare called on the support of all healthcare and gambling stakeholders, to achieve its four strategy ambitions of:-

• Gambling harms are widely recognised and prevented. 
• Universal access to effective tools and support. 
• Universal access to caring, evidence-led and integrated treatment. 
• GamCare’s work is trusted, valued and effective. 

GamCare acknowledged that an organisational change was further required, helping the charity adjust to upcoming changes across the UK’s gambling landscape which will follow the government’s review of the 2005 Gambling Act.  

Anna Hemmings, GamCare CEO stated: “Over the next three years, we want to put gambling harms on the map and ensure more people know about them. We will expand our services to make lasting and positive changes to those harmed by gambling.”