Introducing: John Lee

I am delighted to have joined the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute as the Senior Research Officer for the Gambling Harms Action Lab. I was keen to be part of an organisation with a track record of making a difference and Money and Mental Health has already had an impact on working to break the link between financial difficulty and mental health problems.

In particular, I was struck by the role the organisation has played in encouraging the adoption of practical tools such as gambling blocks, which allow bank customers to block spending on gambling, helping them to manage their money and avoid financial difficulty.

I have over 30 years experience of working in research and evaluation roles in sectors such as mental health, primary care, the creative industries, animal welfare, and further education and skills. My interest in mental health began when I was a volunteer at Dartford and Gravesham Mind, working on their helpline, providing phone advice and support to people experiencing mental health problems. Whilst some of the people who got in contact were looking for emotional support, most were seeking practical help that would enable them to navigate the healthcare system and deal with work or benefits-related issues.

I went on to work on mental health services research projects at universities and charities that had a particular focus on the views and experiences of those with mental health problems. At the Centre for Mental Health (formerly the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health) I worked with a team of interviewers who were all current or former users of mental health services. Their understanding of and empathy with the experiences of those they were interviewing added a richness to the data and the insights provided.

These experiences have given me a strong belief in the importance of putting the insights from people with lived experience centre stage. So, I am particularly looking forward to working with the Research Community at Money and Mental Health and drawing on their insights to inform and drive our work.

I also have a background in evaluation and some of my previous roles have involved working in charities to produce evidence that demonstrates the difference that their work makes. I am looking forward to bringing this experience to the Gambling Harms Action Lab and working with my colleagues to explore – and celebrate! – the impact of the changes that the current account providers introduce as part of their involvement in the Lab.

My role within the Gambling Harms Action Lab will involve working with people from the Research Community with lived experience of gambling harms and building on their input to enable financial services firms to develop better support for people at risk of harm. People with lived experience of gambling-related harm are best placed to identify interventions and ideas that work, so their support is helping to guide the seven current account providers involved in the Gambling Harms Action Lab to implement solutions informed by expert opinion.

Ultimately, the aim is that this will help to reduce the number of people experiencing gambling harms. Estimates from The Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) suggest that approximately 1.4 million adults in Great Britain score 8 or more on the Problem Gambling Index (PGSI), which means they will have experienced adverse consequences from their gambling and may have lost control of their behaviour. A further 1.6 million people are estimated to have a PGSI score of 3 to 7, meaning they may or may not have experienced adverse consequences from gambling but may be at risk if they are heavily involved in gambling.

With all of that in mind, it’s clear how vital our shared aim is. I’m looking forward to making a start and working alongside the team, our Action Lab participants and our Research Community members. 

To stay up to date with the work of the Gambling Harms Action Lab, you can join our Professional Network.

To contribute to our work on tackling gambling-related harms by sharing your experience, please consider joining our Research Community here.