Area Health Service Plans To Dump Problem Gamblers

Over the past 4 months, the GIS (NSW) in partnership with Ulladulla and Shoalhaven Inter-agencies (representing community welfare services in the Shoalhaven) has been raising concerns about the lack of staff recruitment to the region’s community health problem gambling service. We are astonished to now find that South East Sydney & Illawarra area health service (SESIAHS) plans to close the problem gambling service at the end of June as part of an amalgamation of these two area health services.

The community is outraged at this action, despite suggestions that 2007—2008 extension funds will be allocated to another a organisation in the region. The following is a summary of the issues which have been raised by letter with the Minister for Health, the Minister for OLGR, local MP’s, the Area Health Advisory Committee, the CEO and senior staff of the Area Health Service (SESIAHS):

The Community is not satisfied that Health is meeting its responsibilities towards those affected by problem gambling.

Illawarra Health is the only problem gambling service provider in the region taking a primary health/public health approach to problem gambling which includes health promotion, primary prevention, early intervention, community education and treatment - an evidenced based practise approach to problem gambling. (refer Productivity Commission Report, 1999)

Health is the only regional service provider which has a quality standard of only employing professional Social Workers and/or Psychologists as the treating specialists (this cannot be guaranteed under the NGO system).

Health also offers clients a holistic approach to their gambling problem, and with direct access to additional services such as mental health, eating disorders, drug and alcohol services is able to tailor a multi-focussed program to the clients’ needs.

Not all clients feel they can access religious based NGO Services and have a preference to access their community health service where they are assured of a secular approach to their health issue.

Clients should have a choice of service in the community and the closing of this service will limit community members who wish to exert this choice, in particular those who for cultural and historical reasons may not want to access a religious based service. The closure of this health service will directly affect these clients and create further barriers to support.

In 1999 the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Australia’s Gambling Industries stated that the Commission viewed problem gambling “in all its dimensions - as a public or community health issue similar to that of Alcohol” and cited the Australian Medical Association’s submission to the inquiry which recommended that “legislation should include a public health approach to the development of policy and regulations of this industry” (p 16.30, Vol. 2).

The 2005 NSW IPART Inquiry specifically recommended that NSW Health be actively involved in the planning and provision of treatment services to problem gamblers and their families.

The Illawarra and Shoalhaven has a public health approach to drug and alcohol problems - Why is our Health Service seeking to close its doors to problem gamblers and their families?

After 8 years of delivering a comprehensive health based gambling program to the Illawarra and Shoalhaven it is totally unacceptable to close this direct primary health care service.

Treatment services for problem gambling are currently established at St Vincent's Hospital, Liverpool Hospital, Hornsby Hospital, Mount Druitt Community Health Centre and a State-wide Multi – Cultural Gambling Service based at Westmead Hospital (refer OLGR website). With such precedents in NSW Health, how can SESIAHS justify this action?

SESIAHS in refusing to auspice this project when extension funds have been offered by the Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing (OLGR) is directly discriminating against those with gambling problems and their families.

In 2006 the NSW government increased its taxes on Poker machine profits to fund state health services. Over 33 % of the $52.8 billion NSW combined Clubs and Hotel poker machine turnover (NSW Department of Gaming and Racing Statistics, June 2005) is contributed by those affected by problem gambling (Productivity Commission’s Inquiry, 1999) and a massive 12% of all State revenue is generated from gambling taxes (Centre for Gambling Research, ANU) with this amount set to substantially increase under these new poker machine taxes. Why then are problem gamblers being denied access to a health service to meet their needs?

We would like to remind the area health service that pathological gambling is clearly defined as a Mental Health Disorder under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 1V).

Under Responsible Gambling legislation clubs and hotels are required to have in place mandatory self – exclusion programs for those customers experiencing problems with gambling and an ongoing relationship with local problem gambling treatment services so as to enhance customer service and ensure those affected by problem gambling obtain appropriate professional counselling and support. The closure of this service will negatively impact on gambling venues obligations under Responsible Gambling legislation and their ability to provide their customers with a full range of problem gambling support.

Despite repeated requests, the area health service has not met with community members to discuss these concerns. These actions suggest SESIAHS & Community Health obviously consider problem gamblers and their families to be an invisible, expendable and disposable client group.

We urgently request you draw the attention of local MP’s, ClubsNSW, AHA, the Minister for Health & the Minister for Gaming and Racing to this situation. We trust we can rely upon your support in calling for a retraction of plans to close this community health service and confirmation of its future from July 2007. (On behalf of GISNSW Inc.)

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