Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the NHS in supporting people who have a gambling addiction.

Many people with gambling problems will receive treatment from the National Health Service. There are a range of services available to problem gamblers, details of which can be found on the NHS Choices website at the following link:

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/addiction/Pages/gamblingaddiction.aspx

Specialist facilities are provided through industry funding. Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust has a national problem gambling clinic which accepts referrals from all over the United Kingdom. Further details are available at the following link:

http://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/cnwl-national-problem-gambling-clinic/

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has been commissioned to explore developing a guideline on non-chemical addictions, including gambling, which will give support to clinicians seeking to support problem gamblers.