YGAM launches ‘Mindful Resilience’ programme to educate UK GPs
Charitable alliance will offer specialist training on gambling-related harm to healthcare professionals
The Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) has unveiled a new initiative to deliver specialist training on gambling-related harm to staff across the UK healthcare sector.
The programme, which targets ‘Mindful Resilience’, is the result of a collaboration between YGAM, Bournemouth University, the Responsible Gambling Council and Betknowmore UK.
Under the blueprint for the alliance, Bournemouth Uni will lead training content creation and RGC will lead on evaluation, while Betknowmore UK and YGAM will deliver practitioner recruitment and training.
YGAM will ultimately oversee the combination and retain overall control over its direction.
The initiative hopes to enable access to evidence-led, accredited training on the health risks associated with gambling, digital addiction and unhealthy online behaviour.
The programme will also promote the National Treatment Network and NHS for those in need of support.
The launch comes after a 2019 UK Gambling Commission report into gambling-related suicide highlighted the need for greater awareness among GPs and other primary care and frontline service providers.
The programme will initially start in London before expanding to the West Midlands in 2021 ahead of a potential national roll-out in 2022.
YGAM CEO and Founder Lee Willows said: “In bringing together these highly respected organisations, we can combine our resources and insight to provide an incredibly important training programme.
“I’m confident this new programme will complement YGAM’s existing prevention programmes and will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of individuals who seek help,” he added.