GambleAware has today published a review of a residential rehabilitation pilot programme for people experiencing gambling harm.
The review found that there is a high level of need for residential rehabilitation support. It also revealed encouraging outcomes for clients, including a reduction in gambling and noticeable improvements in their mental health. Clients reported improved financial stability, better relationships with family and friends, an enhanced quality of life, and said they had learned how to avoid gambling problems in future. There were also early indications that these outcomes may continue after the treatment has finished.
In 2021, GambleAware commissioned Adferiad Recovery and Gordon Moody to launch the new service, tailored for people experiencing severe gambling issues along with other conditions such as substance misuse, severe mental ill-health, and physical ill-health. The programme sought to address a gap in service provision in Great Britain for clients with conditions which are more complex than those usually encountered by conventional treatment providers.
The service involved individuals staying in residential settings and receiving detox, intensive treatment for gambling issues, and specialist mental health support from Adferiad Recovery, followed by specialised gambling treatment from Gordon Moody. After the residential programme, clients received aftercare support to help them with the transition back to their life at home.
The evaluation of the ‘Residential Rehabilitation Service’ over the period from January 2022 to April 2023 was commissioned by GambleAware and undertaken by the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, IFF Research, and Magenta. The evaluation also includes recommendations for the future commissioning of gambling treatment programmes.
