Peter Holt has been appointed as GambleAware’s new Chief Financial Officer. Peter was recently London and South East finance director at Health Education England, responsible for a £1.2bn budget.

Peter has extensive experience of working in the health sector having held this London and South East board level position at HEE for nearly ten years. Before this he was Director of the Supply Chain Transformation Programme at the Department of Health, responsible for delivering significant procurement benefits to the NHS.

In his role at NHS Health Education England, Peter was responsible for developing a financial strategy to ensure long term financial health, enabling HEE to continue to invest in workforce planning and the education and training of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Peter also led on the development of a new national education tariff, both regionally and nationally, sitting on the DH national tariff board.

Such knowledge and proficiency will complement the existing expertise and breadth of experience held by trustees and management, with regard to public health, the NHS and the commissioning of prevention and treatment services.

Peter’s health background also supports GambleAware’s ongoing collaborative relationship with the NHS and other statutory health bodies to ensure gambling is regarded as an important health and wellbeing issue. This relationship is underscored in the recently published NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan, 2019-24 by the recognition of GambleAware as a key partner for NHS England and NHS Improvement in establishing a total of 15 new NHS specialist problem gambling clinics by 2023/24.

Peter will initially work to prioritise the development of a long-term business plan to underpin the ongoing commissioning of the National Gambling Treatment Service, triaged by the National Gambling Helpline.

Talking about the new hire, GambleAware Chief Executive, Marc Etches, said: “We are delighted to have Peter join GambleAware. His extensive health-related experience will further enhance the outstanding expertise we have across our growing organisation as we focus on a public health model to commission national prevention and treatment services to keep people safe from gambling harms.”

Peter Holt, Chief Financial Officer at GambleAware, said about his new position:“Having worked in the health sector for many years, I am looking forward working with a talented and committed team to support GambleAware in finalising a multi-year business plan, with a clear financial strategy that is focused on commissioning high quality, effective prevention and treatment service. This will ensure that gambling is better understood as a health and wellbeing issue, addressed through the lens of a public health model.”