NICE Guidance on Gambling

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NHS Primary Care Gambling Service Welcomes NICE Guidance on Gambling Screening in Healthcare Settings

The leads at the Primary Care Gambling Service, set up by Professor Dame Clare Gerada in 2019, support the recommendations for GPs in todays published NICE guidelines on Gambling Harms.

Problem gambling is a growing public health concern, often linked to mental health issues, financial distress, and social harm. Currently less than 5% of those experiencing gambling harms access treatment services. GPs can play an important role in identification of patients experiencing gambling harms through the high number of consultations they undertake daily. The NICE Guidelines recommend that GPs ask about gambling harms when they would naturally enquire about alcohol and smoking in consultations. Their role is in identification of patients experiencing gambling harms and an awareness that treatment exists to signpost patients into.

Dr Emma Ryan, the GP lead at the PCGS and a Clinical Champion at the RCGP, has been working closely with the RCGP to raise awareness and training amongst primary care teams prior to the publication of the NICE guidelines and has developed a number of resources for primary care available on a Gambling Harms Hub on the RCGP website.   

The Primary Care Gambling Service is a NHS GP led National service providing treatment for patients experiencing gambling harm. The service is led by a multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses and treats, on average, approximately 50 patients a week, referrals from GPs, the voluntary sector and self referrals from patients. It offers a holistic approach to patient care that is free and confidential.

Published: Mar 6, 2025