Gordon Moody has experienced a rapid start to 2021 following a very busy third quarter.
Gordon Moody head of growth Rob Mabbett looks at our latest data report (Q3) and what it’s showing:
The numbers needing our help are substantial and growing in many areas of our interactions with people. Our headline findings show:
- Despite the challenges of covid we are continuing to provide quality treatment and support for those most affected by gambling harm.
- General inquiries about gambling addiction and support have increased substantially.
- There has been a marked shift towards online services as the covid lockdown has escalated.
- New services and new contact methods are being used by people in greater numbers.
- The third quarter saw an average 182 interactions per week and more than 2,000 outreach communications.
- Numbers seeking residential treatment are fluctuating in line with tighter covid restrictions – suggesting some people may be avoiding getting help.
The last year has tested every section of society and organisation to the limit. We are acutely aware that only three per cent of people in need of treatment for gambling addiction issues actually receive it, and we have strained every collective nerve to ensure we can be contacted by those most needing help in 2020.
We are very pleased to have got through 2020 in a way that has continued to provide quality treatment, support and service for those who most need it.
The next year looks like it will be equally challenging, but we are in a confident position to face into the storm. We have plans to increase residential capacity later in the year – through our new female-only residential centre and getting back to full capacity at our male residential centres – and we have secured support to further grow our outreach service, reflecting the demand that has been generated through the covid pandemic.
Gambling and support for those affected by gambling harm is going to feature prominently in 2021 because of the Gambling Act Review and the likely tidal wealth of mental and public health challenges arising from the covid pandemic. As well as increasing our service provision, we are making sure that people can find our organisation and the services they need more readily this year.
This year is also our 50th anniversary year and we are working around covid restrictions to ensure the occasion is marked in some way, even if virtually. It wasn’t perhaps the environment we anticipated for our anniversary year.
But in many ways the challenges we have faced over 50 years of growth are preparing us well to face up to 2021 and continue to continue to provide quality treatment and support for those affected by gambling harm on bigger scale than ever before.
The data in depth
Contact
- The level of text chats and emails increased as more options for clients to contact Gordon Moody were made available by the Gambling Therapy (GT) team.
- Hits to both Gordon Moody and Gambling Therapy websites increased in Q3 compared to the previous quarter. Traffic to the Gordon Moody website increased 9% from the previous year while Gambling Therapy received 1.3 million hits.
- Gambling Therapy online chats increased by 22% totalling more than 6,000
- More than 20% of chats were from female clients with 8% of chats coming from affected others (family and friends).
- Use of the GT App fell 39% due to more people accessing support though desktop devises in lockdown.
- GT international reach grew with traffic from Nigeria, Switzerland, Russia and Austria increasing.
Requests for treatment and support
- Overall, applications for treatment increased by 13% during the quarter.
- Demand for Retreat and Counselling services grew in Q3, with applications for residential falling slightly (reflecting covid anxieties), and 55% of applications were for an online service.
- The time Gordon Moody takes to process applications has halved in the past 12 months.
- Introduction of pre-support this year has enabled us to accept more applications into treatment (90%)
- Applications from clients with mental health issues has increased slightly and is more prevalent in women’s applications.
- Applications from clients presenting with drug and alcohol issues has risen significantly, and is more prevalent in men’s applications.
Pre-support services
The amount of pre-support increased this quarter by 15%.
- Half of the calls for emotional support from those awaiting treatment came in the two-week Christmas period.
- There were 39 people on the waiting list at the end of Q3, a slight increase from the previous quarter. The waiting list is however more equally split between the different treatment services.
- An increase of available bed space has seen waiting times drop by more than 60%.
- Support for family and friends increased by 30% during the quarter.
Residential and outreach treatment
- Access to residential treatment
- has been severely affected by Covid-19 because on-site capacity needed to be reduced to allow for social distancing and self-isolation if needed.
- 100% of clients completed their two-week assessment.
- 54% of clients entering treatment in Q3 were aged between 25 to 34.
- 80% of resid
ents finishing residential treatment moved on to the charity’s recovery house, which was at 83% capacity at the end of the period. - Nine clients (six women and three men) were in treatment though the online Retreat and Counselling programme.
- Covid-19 and lockdown restriction led to an increase of ex-service users needing emotional support.
- Client satisfaction is currently at 89% for the year.
- Recovery levels remain high with few instances of relapse reported.