Can a ‘trigger’ question to identify gambling harms to individuals or affected others be validated and used in three local authority (LA) Adult services departments (ASDs)?

Research question Can a trigger question to identify gambling harms to individuals or affected others be validated and used in three local authority (LA) Adult services departments (ASDs)?

Background Close to half of the British adult population gamble with around two million being either “problem gamblers” or at risk of developing problems. Additionally, the typical problem gambler negatively affects up to six other people.

Local authorities (LAs) are being asked by government to identify and support people experiencing gambling harms such as poverty, debt, mental health problems, domestic violence and housing instability.

Early recognition in social care should be a critical tool in identifying, preventing and managing gambling s harmful consequences. To date, no tool has been scientifically assessed to do this.

Working with GamCare, the UK's largest gambling support charity, we plan to validate a 'trigger' question which can be used with enquirers/service users. This would allow benchmarking across LAs and over time.

This is important as there is a lack of empirical evidence about gambling harms despite substantial publicity about the industry s expansion and the harms to individuals.

Aims and objectives This study aims to develop an acceptable 'trigger' question for identifying gambling harms to individuals, and affected others, which can be validated and used by practitioners in adult service departments (ASD) in three LAs.

It also aims to provide participating LAs with data about numbers of enquirers/service users affected by gambling harms which they can incorporate into evidence-based service planning.

Methods Phase 1 Development: A scoping review will be conducted to identify potential trigger questions; their validity will be explored using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Potential questions will be developed and reviewed by lay groups and experts, cognitively tested and sensitivity and specificity assessed against gold standard measure(s) (n=2100).

GamCare, ASD staff and lay representatives will co-produce and test training materials and guidance to accompany the trigger question.

Phase 2 Implementation: We will train staff in three LAs to use the trigger question with enquirers/service users and signpost those affected by gambling harms.

Phase 3 Evaluation: We will compare question responses across the three sites, evaluate acceptability to enquirers/service users and staff, assess staff training and guidance, barriers and facilitators to implementation and calculate costs to LAs. This project has been co-developed with People with Lived Experience (PWLE) partners, and GamCare and LA staff.

Our PWLE group will work with us throughout the project.

Our Advisory Group will also include social care practitioners and public health representatives as well as gambling experts.

We will disseminate findings widely; working with our Advisory Group (representatives from: Local Government Association, Social Care Institute for Excellence, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Skills for Care, Chief Social Worker, GambleAware, Gambling Commission, Department for Health and Social Care) to ensure impact and help the trigger question become widely adopted.

Timelines for delivery: Phase 1: Scoping review and validated trigger question (mth 10); Phase 2: implementation in three LAs (mth 17); Phase 3: Evaluation and Dissemination (mth 22).