Health Resources for Travellers
Published by FFT/ by FFT staff:
- Fair Access for all? Gypsies and Travellers in Sussex, GP Surgeries and Barriers to Primary Healthcare: a report
Download as PDF - ‘The Health of Gypsies and Travellers in the UK’: A Race Equality Foundation briefing paper, written by Zoe Matthews, 2008.
For more, click here.
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Published by other organisations:
- Developing Cultural Competences of Health Professionals working with Gypsy Traveller. 2010.
By Gill Francis.
It is known that Gypsies and Travellers suffer poor health. One of the reasons for this is that health professionals sometimes do not have a good understanding of the needs of the community. Gill Francis, a Health Inclusion Worker for Gypsies and Travellers in London, worked with health professionals to explore their attitudes towards Gypsies and Travellers. She also developed a FAQs document about the community, and an online training programme. What she found was that a number of health professionals have negative opinions on Gypsies and Travellers formed largely by the media, but they were willing to question these assumptions. The project shows that professionals need a better understanding of Gypsies and Travellers in order to provide better access to care and that bias can be removed once open and honest discussion about prejudice can take place. Published and Copyright: Department of Health
Download Cultural Competences here as a PDF
Download FAQs on the Cultural Identity and Health Needs of Gypsy Travellers as a PDF
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- On the road to better health
A leaflet for Travelling men, with larger than average text, photos and illustrations, listing possible health problems to get checked, and with simple, key health messages on staying well and contact numbers. Written by Richard O’Neill with support from MHF (Men’s Health Forum). Available from rroneill@aol.com - Ladged no longer: advice from Gypsies and Travellers about drugs
A drug awareness and information video written and produced by Gypsies at the Gypsy Media Company, funded by the Home Office National Drugs Strategy. Available from: COI Communications. Email:travellers@coi.gsi.gov.uk
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Contacts and Organisations
- NHS Direct Call 24 HRS Helpline: Tel: 0845 4647
Web:www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Search for your local health services under ‘our guide to accessing to health care’. - The Neurological Alliance
The Neurological Alliance would very much like to work with Irish Travellers. What we can offer is:- information about the patient groups that deal with particular neurological conditions- information about useful helplines- information about Getting the Best from Neurological Services
- information about Government policies on health and social care for people with neurological conditions
What we would like from you is information about how Irish Travellers are affected by neurological conditions
Judith Kidd
The Neurological Alliance, Southbank House, Black Prince Road, London SE1 7SJ
Tel: 020 7463 2074
Email: jmkidd@neural.org.uk
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- The National Association of Health Workers with Travellers
-To promote and improve the health of all Gypsy/Travellers – settled or mobile- To improve the access of Gypsy/Travellers to mainstream medical services-To support and reduce the isolation of health workers with Gypsy/Travellers-To seek recognition of Gypsies and Travellers as an ethnic minority and for health care to be provided in a framework of equality and non discrimination
-To provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge, information and resources
-To act as a national voice to highlight the impact of legislation and local policies on the health and welfare of Gypsy/Traveller communities
Chair – Janine Adkins
CHD Travellers
Clwydian House, University of Wales, College of Medicine, Technology Park, Wrexham
Tel: 01978 352880
. - Newark and Sherwood Primary Care Trust’s Travellers’ Health Steering Group.
Stephanie Morrisey
Tel: 01636 670646
Reports:
- Moving On: Does every Gypsy and Traveller child really matter?
A report by London Network for Nurses and Midwives that examines the health of Gypsy and Traveller Children and ways forward.
“The issues raised by the children are disappointing as Government policy “Every Child Matters “should address every one of them. We need to ask why have are these children and their families still in need.”Download the report as a PDF.
. - Fountain, J. (2006) ‘An overview of the nature and extent of illicit drug use amongst the Traveller community: an exploratory study.’ Dublin, National Advisory Committee on Drugs.
http://www.nacd.ie/publications/prevalence_traveller.htmlThe research methods of this study were a comprehensive literature search and review, including relevant policy documents, and semi-structured interviews and focus groups on perceptions on drug use and the related issues with 137 Travellers (including illicit drug users) and 34 agency workers.
The overarching message from the research findings is that: Travellers’ drug-using patterns appear little different than those of the settled population in Ireland, but the social exclusion of Travellers puts them at risk of problematic drug use, and there are indications that this is already occurring. However, overall, Travellers lack the information to tackle drug use and problematic drug use, and there is inadequate consideration by drug policy and drug services of Travellers’ drug-related needs.
The risk factors for the development of problematic drug use, particularly amongst young people, are well-documented, and can be categorised as interrelated problems in nine areas: education, health, employment, accommodation, previous and current drug use, criminal justice, family, social networks, and the environment (in terms of social deprivation, community disorganisation, and neighbourhood disorganisation). In the case of Travellers in Ireland, many of the risk factors for problematic drug use and few of the protective factors in each area are present.
Although the drug-using patterns of Travellers are not very different from those of the whole population of Ireland, it does not follow that Travellers can simply slot into existing services: responses may have to be different in order that the barriers to drug service access that Travellers face can be overcome. These barriers include Travellers’ lack of awareness of the existence and nature of drug services, stigma and embarrassment, the lack of cultural competence by services, and racism, discrimination and stereotyping by services.
The evidence presented in the report can be used to address developments in drug services in the following ways:1 Develop procedures on ethnic monitoring within drug treatment reporting systems and drug service planning systems.2 Carry out equality proofing of drugs policy and of drug service planning and delivery. 3 Increase awareness amongst Travellers of drugs, drug-related issues, and drug services. 4 Adapt the organisational culture of drug services to consider the cultural diversity of Ireland by considering Travellers’ drug service needs. 5 Implement an effective Traveller community engagement programme. 6 Conduct further research and disseminate the results widely. - “GYPSIES AND TRAVELLERS IN LEEDS - Making a Difference”
An Exploratory Study on the Health Needs of Gypsies and Travellers. 23rd July 2001. Marianne Tavares with Travellers.
Read the full report here.
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- The Health Status of Gypsies & Travellers in England
A report to the Department of Health, 2004.
Summary of the Report (pdf)
Qualitative findings (pdf)
Final Report (pdf) - “Irish Travellers Health Access”
Project Draft Report M O’Dwyer, Brent Irish Advisory Service (BIAS) 1997 BIAS Irish Travellers Project, London.
. - “Disability, Social Care, Health and Travelling People: A Report examining existing research and literature relating to the social and health needs of Travellers.”: Rachel Morris and Luke Clements, Traveller Law Research Unit at Cardiff Law School 2001.
. - “Traveller Mothers and Babies: Who Cares for Their Health?”:
L Durward, Maternity Alliance, London 1990
. - “Traveller Gypsies and Primary Health Care in East London”:
G.S Feder Unpublished phD thesis: St Thomas Hospital Medical School, University of London 1994
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Books:
- “Gypsies, Traveller and Health Service”:
Derek Hawes, The Police Press 1997 1 86134 066 4
