This year is a really exciting one for Gordon Moody and the people we look after.
It is our 50th anniversary year and we have been working on refreshing our brand and our purpose and building a new look website in recent months. This has been to prepare ourselves for the years ahead as well as celebrating this year’s anniversary.
We will soon be sharing our new look through social media, at events and through our new website that will go live later in April.
Of course, refreshing our branding and website would mean nothing if we didn’t have the successful Gordon Moody treatment programmes. Over the past 50 years these have helped thousands of people severely affected by gambling addiction to recover and go on to live gambling-free lives.
The changes we are bringing in are designed to make it simpler for people to understand what we do and how to find the support and services they need from us.
It is also about sharing a message of hope. A message that shows that through tackling gambling addiction together people can reclaim and rebuild their lives.
Changing times
This year also sees a UK government review of the 2005 Gambling Act.
Like many organisations and individuals in the sector, Gordon Moody has submitted evidence for the initial phase of the review consultation.
We have welcomed the government’s commitment to preventing gambling related harm, and offered our expertise as a treatment provider.
One of the key things we are stressing is that more resources needs to be available for those who need intensive and residential treatment for their gambling addiction.
We have argued that there are limits to the extent to which gambling related harms can be regulated out of the gambling industry entirely, and that any national effort to reduce gambling related harms should include a targeted treatment strategy.
We have also written to government ministers advocating that: “There needs to be urgent collaboration to devise a more coherent, adequately resourced and effective referral and commissioning process to ensure the most vulnerable do not slip through the treatment net.”
Treatment impact
The past year has show us that those who are seeking out help from Gordon Moody are presenting with a number of other severe challenges they are facing in their life. Some of this has been down to the impact of Covid and lockdown.
In comparison to data taken from the National Gambling Treatment Service reports and data from the National Gambling Helpline, applicants for treatment at Gordon Moody present with significantly increased levels of severity across a range of different issues.
Gordon Moody use two assessment tools during and after treatment – the PGSI and the CORE-10.
As can be seen from the figures below Gordon Moody clients makes significant improvements during treatment and in the case of the PGSI sustained improvement into recovery.
The average improvement of PGSI score between the beginning and end of treatment in 2019/20 was 20 points and the average improvement of CORE-10 score was 13.
The problem gambling severity index (PGSI) is an assessment used by all of the treatment providers within the national gambling treatment service (NGTS).
We measure a service user’s PGSI at the start of treatment, at the end of treatment and at various points in their recovery.
The average improvement of a PGSI score for those who have gone though treatment in the UK is 12 points. In 2019/20 the average improvement in a Gordon Moody clients’ PGSI score was 20.
The CORE-10 assessment tool is also widely used in the NGTS and is measured at various points throughout a service user’s treatment and is a clinical tool to assess a service user’s progress and wellbeing.
The average improvement of a CORE-10 score for those who have gone through treatment in the UK is eight points. In 2019/20 at Gordon Moody the average improvement in a client’s CORE-10 score was 13
We feel that these results very significantly show the impact of Gordon Moody’s ability to treat those who are severely affected by gambling addiction.
The past five years have also seen an increase of severity in women applying for treatment especially with mental health issues. The number of women who have already sought help elsewhere then applying for treatment at Gordon Moody has increased sharply – clear evidence of the need for the higher level of intervention which Gordon Moody provide.
In 2021 we will be offering more places for treatment including the opening of a women’s treatment centre that will enable us to provide our unique residential treatment programme to women, as well as men.
Contact us if you need help
If you are concerned about your own or a loved one’s gambling don’t suffer in silence, we are here to help and together we can tackle gambling addiction.
To apply for treatment at Gordon Moody visit www.gordonmoody.org.uk or for more information call us on 01384 241292.
The National Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 call free on 0808 802 0133.
Until next week stay safe, look after yourselves and each other.
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