On 26 February, the Assembly All-Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling were briefed by Prof Henrietta Bowden-Jones, NHS National Advisor on Gambling Harms, Dr Sharon McElroy, consultant psychologist at the Western Trust, and Dr Donna Mullan, gambling addiction lead at RC Psych NI, on the provision of support and treatment services in NI. Prof Bowden-Jones discussed the work of the 15 specialist gambling clinics in England opened under the NHS Long Term Plan, and the positive impact of the 1% levy on gambling operators in GB that comes into effect in April. She suggested that, given the lack of services in NI, NHS England doctors could provide remote treatment to patients in NI.
APG Chair Philip McGuigan asked about the effectiveness of remote treatment. Prof Bowden-Jones said that in her experience, remote treatment is “just as good” as face-to-face treatment. She also described how getting people who have a gambling addiction to attend face-to-face treatment can be challenging due to the financial risks and the high level of associated stigma. Since NHS England introduced remote treatment, their did-not-attend (DNA) rates have dropped to almost zero. Dr McElroy highlighted some of the populations for whom remote treatment is not preferrable, which include people with a high level of risk, people without good internet access which can be especially relevant in rural NI, and people without a safe space such as those experiencing domestic violence. All three panellists agreed that a hybrid model with remote treatment and the option for a face-to-face assessment is the ideal model.
Dr McElroy and Dr Mullan discussed the existing pressures on addiction services in NI. There are currently only two addiction psychologists and four consultant psychiatrists in substantive posts across all five HSC Trusts in NI. Dr McElroy and Dr Mullan both commented on the fact that when addiction services in NI have been expanded in the past, it has been an expansion of nursing staff. They stressed that what is needed now is more highly trained specialists. Dr Mullan spoke about the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to gambling disorders, similar to other addictions services. Dr McElroy suggested that gambling services could be modelled on the recently set up Regional Trauma Network.
