Getting Health Care

In an Emergency phone: 999

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FFT has produced a report called “Fair Access for all? Gypsies and Travellers in Sussex, GP Surgeries and Barriers to Primary Healthcare”. Download as PDF

If you wish to make a complaint about a Doctor, Dentist, hospital or surgery, contact the Patients Advice Liasison Service (PALS) at www.pals.nhs.uk

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Finding Services in your area

In a health emergency a doctor is required to see you whether you are registered or not for Immediate Necessary Treatment.

England

• NHS Direct Call 24 HRS Helpline: 0845 4647 or www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
  Alternatively there are a number of walk-in centres dotted around the country. NHS walk-in centres provide treatment for minor injuries and illnesses seven days a week. You don’t need an appointment and will be seen by an experienced NHS nurse. Read more here on the NHS website.
• Search for your nearest GP Clinic, hospital, opticians, NHS dental surgery or pharmacy, search here: http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/pages/servicesearch.aspx or call the NHS Direct number 0845 4647

Wales

• NHS Direct Wales website: www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.ukgives information on local services eg. opening hours, location maps etc. and an online health encyclopaedia.
• Browse for services in Wales: www.wales.nhs.uk/directory.cfm

Scotland

• Search for your nearest GP Clinic, hospital, opticians, NHS dental surgery or pharmacy, search here: http://www.nhs24.com/content/default.asp?page=s11or call the NHS Direct number 0845 4647

Northern Ireland

• Browse for services in Northern Ireland: www.n-i.nhs.uk

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GP Research Report: “Fair Access for All?”

• Fair Access for all?
  Gypsies and Travellers in Sussex, GP Surgeries and Barriers to Primary Healthcare
  Download as PDF

In September 2010 FFT launched the GP Research Report ‘Fair Access for all? Gypsies and Travellers in Sussex, GP Surgeries and barriers to primary healthcare.

The report was developed in response to work carried out by the Sussex Outreach Team and the incidence of four complaints being made by Gypsies and Travellers against GP Surgeries in Sussex between November 2009 and July 2010.

The complaints involved clients being refused registration at their local GP Surgery because of living on a Local Authority site, for having no proof of address and for having a common Irish Traveller name. All of which are unlawful reasons to refuse access to the NHS on ‘unreasonable grounds’ according to the NHS Constitution 2010.

The report has been presented and sent to a number of NHS strategic health teams including NHS Commissioners, Equality and Diversity Teams, Local Involvement Networks (LINks) and the East Sussex Patient Advisory Liaison Service. The report has made a huge impact on NHS Strategic Teams understanding of the enduring prejudice Gypsies and Travellers continue to face within the NHS and in particular GP Surgeries.

Recommendations:

• GP Consortiums to follow including taking up cultural awareness training with FFT or a similar specialist Gypsy and Traveller organisation
• GP Surgeries adhere to the NHS Constitution 2010 and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and are held accountable when failing to do so.
• GP Surgeries promote a family and community approach to healthcare that takes into account the travelling way of life.
• GP Surgeries to work with organisations like FFT to build trust between local communities and GP Surgeries and make a concerted effort to get-to-know their community and find out how Gypsy and Traveller needs are often radically different from those of other community members.