Pathological gamblers in Scotland are set to be offered intensive help by a new national clinic run jointly by a charity and the NHS.
GambleAware, which already operates a national problem gambling clinic in London and is launching another in Leeds covering the North of England is in talks to open a dedicated Scottish service to help people with a "severe or complex" addiction to gambling.
The charity, which runs psychiatrist-led clinics with NHS trusts in England is understood to have secured funding and is now seeking a venue to run a Scottish clinic, working alongside health and social services.
The new service would help those whose gambling problem is severe or complicated by other factors such as debt, drink or drug use, or mental health issues.
John McCracken, Director of Commissioning at GambleAware, said: "GambleAware has indicated to the Scottish Government that it is interested in establishing a National Gambling Clinic for Scotland. We are keen to work with Health and Social Care Partnerships to explore a possible location for the clinic."
Minister for Mental Health Claire Haughey has said that the Scottish Government would not be willing to fund a national clinic because it would not reach all those who need it equally. "Services should be provided as locally as possible. A single national gambling addiction treatment centre would not be a practical support for people who do not live in the part oft eh country where it was based," she said.
However she said minsters would support the setting up of a clinic funded by charities. "The possibility of GambleAware developing and funding such a clinic in Scotland is welcome, she said.
She said officials had had discussion with GambleAware and helped link the charity up with a range of Scottish professionals. "I hope Gamble Aware will find these contacts helpful in taking forward their work to support people in Scotland," she added.
Inverclyde MP Ronnie Cowan, who has been a dogged campaigner against fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs), said he hoped Gamble Aware would progress with its plans for Scotland as soon as possible.
Mr Cowan, vice-chair of Westminster's all-party group on Gambling Related Harm met with GambleAware last week. He said: "The need for a National Problem Gambling Clinic clearly exists, and GambleAware have informed me there is funding in-place to create such a facility. Therefore, I believe we should be identifying a suitable location and getting on with it.
“Although gambling is not as visible an addiction as drugs or alcohol, every day people are being harmed and the sooner we take action to address gambling related harm the better.
Mr McCracken said GambleAware a new Scottish clinic would work alongside the RCA Trust, another GambleAware initiative which provides free treatment for people in Scotland with a gambling problem.
Statutory addiction services in Scotland, including those for problem gambling, are currently coordinated through local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) which take referrals from GPs.
Gamble Aware's new Leeds clinic is expected to open early this year. Matt Gaskell, the clinical lead for the new NHS Northern Gambling Clinic in Leeds said: "Those diagnosed with gambling disorder often need help with a range of difficulties, including mental health problems and it can lead to serious debt and family breakdown, people losing their jobs, people turning to crime in desperation, and even suicide."
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