NEWS: GPs Urged to Ask About Gambling

As reported by Yahoo News, health leaders say doctors should screen for gambling issues as they do for smoking and alcohol

Young people leaving home for the first time and patients with mental health problems should be asked about their gambling habits when they visit the GP, health leaders have said.

People who have problems with gambling should be identified “as early as possible” and offered support, according to new guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). Health leaders described the “massive” and “devastating” impact problem gambling can have on people’s lives.

The new Nice guidance says that people who seek help for mental health issues should be asked about problem gambling in the same way they are asked about drugs, smoking and alcohol.

Healthcare workers and those working in social services should ask people about gambling habits in several situations, including GP appointments or health checks, Nice said.

People at risk of gambling harm include those with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), personality disorder or thoughts about self-harm or suicide, it said.

NHS England’s national clinical director for primary care, Dr Claire Fuller, said: “We welcome Nice’s decision as gambling can have a massive impact on people’s lives and the lives of the people that care for them, and as healthcare professionals we need the right tools to help tackle gambling-related harms.

“Over the past few years, the NHS has made significant progress in expanding treatment for gambling addiction with the rollout of 15 specialist clinics across the country.”