A community-designed screening model which aimed to increase detection of and reduce harm from gambling has been successfully piloted in the Fairfield local government area (LGA), where residents lose an alarming $1.4 million on poker machines each day – more than any other LGA in NSW.
As we near GambleAware week, 19 to 25 October – an annual campaign to increase awareness of the impacts of gambling and harm from gambling in NSW – the Fairfield City Health Alliance is finalising its report on the development of the tool through the Gambling Harm Screening and Referral Project. It is hoped the screening model developed for Fairfield will be rolled-out across NSW to detect and support those experiencing harm from their gambling behaviour and those experiencing harm as a result of someone else’s gambling.
The alliance is a unique collaboration between the three levels of government – South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN), South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) and Fairfield City Council.
The 18-month project brought together more than 100 participants from across the region, including GPs, community workers, psychologists and consumers, with the aim of designing and piloting a screening tool to equip GPs and community workers to identify harm from gambling and assist patients access appropriate support services. Ten community service workers and two GPs successfully piloted the screening tool with their patients.
Read more about the Gambling Harm Screening and Referral Project
GambleAware week, 19 to 25 October, is an annual initiative of the Office of Responsible Gambling to increase awareness of gambling and gambling related harm. It aims to increase the community’s understanding of risky gambling behaviour, encourage gamblers and their loved ones to recognise when gambling may place them at risk of harm and provides information on practical ways to keep their gambling under control.