logo
How Welsh Government plans to tackle gambling harms

How Welsh Government plans to tackle gambling harms

Leader Live19-07-2025
"In relation to prevention and treatment, I have appointed Public Health Wales as the Lead Prevention Coordinator for Wales and NHS Wales Performance and Improvement as the Lead Treatment Coordinator for Wales. Each organisation brings appropriate expertise and authority to lead these vital areas of work."
TOP STORIES TODAY
She added: "To ensure transparency and accountability around the levy, the UK Government has established a Gambling Levy Programme Board for the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments to monitor the health and impact of the levy system and an advisory group structure to provide informal advice to lead commissioning bodies for each of the three funding streams.
"Ministers from UK, Scottish and Welsh governments will attend the board annually, with ongoing representation at quarterly meetings by senior officials.
"NHS Wales Performance and Improvement and Public Health Wales have started to develop treatment pathways and interventions, including appropriate prevention opportunities.
"One of the consequences of the UK Government's decision to introduce a levy is that GambleAware will no longer be funded in the same way. I know some Welsh organisations, such as Adferiad and Ara, receive some of their funding through GambleAware to provide services to people suffering from gambling-related harm.
"NHS England, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government have decided to make a maximum of £11m of levy funding from the treatment allocation across all three nations to support GambleAware in 2025-26 through the transition.
"This transitional funding for GambleAware from the levy will only apply this financial year to ensure system stability. It does not represent a continued funding commitment to GambleAware.
"It will, however, help to reduce disruption to the National Gambling Support Network (NGSN) and ensure access to treatment services continues while the commissioning leads put in place new arrangements. This will be a priority for NHS Wales Performance and Improvement and Public Health Wales."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham praised by MS
Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham praised by MS

Leader Live

time4 hours ago

  • Leader Live

Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham praised by MS

Member of the Senedd for Wrexham, Lesley Griffiths, described Nightingale House Hospice as a 'pillar of our community' and commended its 'wraparound service' for individuals with life-limiting conditions during a recent visit. Ms Griffiths said: "Nightingale House has provided vital care and support to patients and their families for more than 30 years and it is clearly appreciated by the local community. "It provides not just end-of-life care, but a wraparound service for patients with life-limiting conditions." The Wrexham hospice delivers specialist palliative care and a range of services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, complementary therapies, and bereavement support for all ages. It also operates a hydrotherapy pool, an outpatient clinic and ambulance service. Following her visit, Ms Griffiths wrote to Jeremy Miles, Welsh Government cabinet secretary for health and social care, to invite him to see the hospice first-hand. READ MORE: Wrexham girl, 9, who beat leukaemia opens her own art exhibition in city centre She said: "Special praise must go to the dedicated staff who deliver outstanding care and support and I also want to pay tribute to the 450 active volunteers who make such an invaluable contribution. "It was good to catch up with Lauren and Chris. "Nightingale House remains a pillar of our community and I will continue to do all I can to support the hospice." The hospice recently completed a £5 million refurbishment, including a new 12-bed in-patient ward, in May 2024.

Stark warning issued by Renfrewshire hospices facing staffing catastrophe
Stark warning issued by Renfrewshire hospices facing staffing catastrophe

Daily Record

time16 hours ago

  • Daily Record

Stark warning issued by Renfrewshire hospices facing staffing catastrophe

Accord and St Vincent's hospices have confirmed they face a retention crisis if Scottish Government ministers fail to fund staff wage increases in line with the NHS. Renfrewshire hospices have warned they face a staffing catastrophe unless the Scottish Government meets an earlier commitment around wages. ‌ Accord and St Vincent's hospices have confirmed they face a retention crisis if ministers fail to fund staff wage increases in line with the NHS. ‌ The government had, in its 2025 budget, committed £5 million for hospices and alignment of pay uplifts to NHS pay awards. ‌ But the 4.25 per cent awarded to NHS staff means the hospices will need a collective £8.6m to offer their nurses, doctors and other health professionals the same pay. The hospices say they fear they will lose their staff if they cannot afford to meet the salaries provided in the public sector. For most of the lifeline services – who provide palliative care for people in inpatient units and at their homes – the wage bill accounts for 70 per cent of their overall costs. ‌ For Accord alone, it is due to receive £175,000 of the pledged £5m but, crucially, needs an additional £150,000 to meet the required wage increases in the 2025/26 financial year. Jacki Smart, CEO of Accord and chair of the Scottish Hospice Leadership Group – which represents hospices across the country – reiterated calls for a more sustainable funding model. She said: 'The Scottish Government must urgently release both the monies earmarked and commit the funds needed to help hospices keep pace with the latest NHS pay award. ‌ 'Our staff are talented and dedicated professionals and it isn't right that they are priced out of working in hospices because of NHS pay awards decided by the Scottish Government. 'Hospices are the backbone of specialist palliative care in Scotland with around 2,000 staff caring for over 23,000 patients and family members each year. No hospice leader wants to face the choice between cutting staff or curtailing pay but that is the stark reality now. 'Without being able to keep pace with NHS pay, the practical impact is that the crisis in Scottish hospices continues, while patients and staff lose out.' ‌ She added: 'The public are generous in their support but the Scottish Government needs to ensure hospices are on a level playing field with the NHS, to retain staff and continue to deliver high quality care and support.' A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: 'We recognise the pressures hospices are facing and we greatly value the essential palliative care services delivered by hard-working staff. 'That is why we have already committed this year to supporting hospices to provide pay parity with NHS levels. ‌ 'We will continue to engage closely with the Scottish Hospice Leadership Group to understand what more can be done to support palliative care services in Scotland. 'It remains the responsibility of integration joint boards (IJBs) to commission palliative care services, including independent hospices, to meet the needs of their local communities. 'As such, we expect Scottish hospices and IJBs to continue to engage on any matters that may impact on the delivery of local palliative care services.' On average, two thirds of hospice income is raised through fundraising. The remaining statutory funding is from government that is primarily allocated and distributed through local health and social care partnerships. For St Vincent's Hospice in Howwood, it means the team needs to raise £1.5m a year to keep it up and running, while it costs Paisley-based Accord £7,700 a day.

Hundreds attend Turner Syndrome Football Festival in Glasgow
Hundreds attend Turner Syndrome Football Festival in Glasgow

Glasgow Times

time17 hours ago

  • Glasgow Times

Hundreds attend Turner Syndrome Football Festival in Glasgow

More than 200 girls from across the West of Scotland arrived at Petershill Park in Springburn on Sunday, July 27, for the annual Turner Syndrome Awareness Football Festival. For the first time, teams had the chance to play across the entire complex in North Glasgow, which allowed even more girls to take part. (Image: TSSS) The event was organised by the Turner Syndrome Support Society (TSSS) in an effort to raise awareness of the rare genetic condition, which is said to affect one in every 2000 girls. Arlene Smyth, executive officer of the TSSS, highlighted the importance of early diagnosis. She said: "Events like these are absolutely essential in raising awareness of Turner Syndrome. "If a girl is not achieving expected growth or development, it's important not to ignore the signs -early diagnosis makes a real difference. 'We're grateful to everyone who helped make today possible." (Image: TSSS) READ NEXT: Glasgow youth project in desperate bid for new building According to NHS Scotland, Turner Syndrome (TS) is a rare genetic condition that only affects females and is usually diagnosed at birth. There is currently no cure, but treatment and support are available to help manage symptoms. It is understood that everyone with the condition is affected differently; however, it can impact growth, height, and general development. This year's football festival saw an increase of more than 50 per cent in attendance and was described as both a 'significant milestone' for girls' football and raising awareness of TS. Teams from Phoenix Girls travelled from Hamilton, Renfrew, West Park United, Kilmarnock and Glasgow City to take part. Gus MacLean, chair of Phoenix Girls FC, said: "This event wouldn't have been possible without the commitment of our partners, the Partick Thistle Charitable Trust, and the tireless work of coaches, parents, and volunteers. 'Together, we're making a real difference." Iain Stuart, Scottish Women's Premier League competitions officer, presented the medals on the day. (Image: TSSS) He praised the event as a 'testament' to the power of partnership and community. READ NEXT: Man hits out at 'unbelievable' state of Glasgow cemetery Speaking at the festival, Mr Stuart commented: "Festivals like this simply didn't exist a decade ago. "It's fantastic to see hundreds of girls out playing football together, raising awareness, and showing just how far the women's game has come. 'Today is a testament to the power of partnership and community." The event was delivered through a partnership between the TSSS, a Clydebank-based charity, and Phoenix Girls FC, who built on the previous year's success with the support of the [[Partick Thistle]] Charitable Trust. (Image: TSSS) (Image: TSSS) It was dedicated to the memory of Emma Woods, who lived with TS and sadly died aged 20. The Emma Woods Memorial Fund, created by her friends and family, continues to raise vital funds to support awareness campaigns and initiatives such as the festival. Fraser Cromar, CEO of the Partick Thistle Charitable Trust, said: "Petershill Park is synonymous with women's football in Scotland, being home to both Glasgow City and Partick Thistle Women. 'When we heard about the vision behind the Turner Syndrome Awareness Football Festival, we were fully committed to supporting it. 'Bringing communities together through football to raise awareness for such an important cause is exactly the kind of initiative we want to champion." For further information on TS visit the TSSS's website HERE.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store