NHS Northern Gambling Service
The NHS Northern Gambling Service works closely with a range of people and organisations including GPs, local councils, NHS trusts, national and local charities, Citizens’ Advice, the criminal justice system, debt agencies, substance misuse services and homeless agencies.
One of their core values is that “any door is the right door” which means people can be referred in via a number of routes no matter where they are or who they are receiving help from. You can also self-refer.
They help people like James Grimes, a lifelong football fan and recovering gambling addict. In 12 years of addiction James had lost around £100,000 admitting that he couldn’t watch football without betting. In December 2019 he was nearly two years clean and had moved to Manchester. That same year he founded the Big Step charity project, which walks and talks football clubs through the dangers of gambling to protect the next generation of fans.
For members of the public, carers and family members
You can get in touch with them directly to enquire about accessing their services.
- Email them at referral.ngs@nhs.net providing a contact number
- Call them on 0300 3001490 giving a contact number if leaving a message.
- Complete their short contact form.
They aim to contact you within one to three days.
If you meet the criteria for their service they’ll provide you with a more detailed referral form to enable you to access the service. Once you complete and return this to them they will contact you to book you in for an assessment at the most convenient location.
Find out more about the NHS Northern Gambling Service on their website