GambleAware appoints two new independent trustees
Charity lauds “wholly independent” board independent of gambling industry
GambleAware has announced the appointment of two new members to its board of trustees, completing a move to make its board entirely independent of the gambling industry.
Trustees being appointed to the board are Professor Marcantonio Spada, professor of Addictive Behaviours and Mental Health at London South Bank University and Paul Simpson, CFO and deputy CEO of the Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.
Spada and Simpson replace existing trustees Alan Jamieson and Brigid Simmonds, who have retired at the end of their respective terms. Both appointments were made following an open recruitment process supported by an independent recruitment advisor.
Spada has worked extensively in identifying factors that influence addictive behaviours, while Simpson has significant healthcare and financial management experience, having occupied a number of senior finance roles in various NHS Trusts.
Kate Lampard, GambleAware’s chair of trustees said: “We are delighted that Marcantonio and Paul have agreed to become trustees of GambleAware. Between them, they bring strong experience in addiction, public health, finance and risk management. Also, I should like to record our thanks to both Alan and Brigid for their hard work as trustees.
“GambleAware’s Board is now wholly independent of the gambling industry, and we believe this is necessary to secure public trust and confidence given our central role in commissioning research, education and treatment services.”
A recent Citizens Advice report has called on the UK government to implement a statutory levy on gambling industry firms in an effort to better fund gambling addiction services and called on GambleAware to make treatment service more accessible to problem gamblers.
Lampard added: “Trustees continue to call for a statutory levy on the gambling industry to ensure research, education and treatment services are adequately and sustainably funded.
“In the meantime, we will continue to pursue our charitable objectives to reduce gambling-related harm within the Government-prescribed voluntary donation-based system currently in place, and we are confident that this can and ought to be achieved without the need for anyone employed by a gambling company to have a seat on the Board.”