Working TogetherWorking Together Improving the relationship between Healthcare Professionals Improving the relationship between Healthcare Professionals

and Gypsies and Travellersand Gypsies and Travellers

Rehana HanifRehana HanifLeeds Gypsy and Traveller ExchangeLeeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange

Aims and ObjectivesAims and Objectives Provide cultural awareness of the Gypsy Provide cultural awareness of the Gypsy

and Traveller Communityand Traveller Community Establish rapport between Gypsies and Establish rapport between Gypsies and

Travellers and Healthcare ProfessionalsTravellers and Healthcare Professionals Highlight the health needs of Gypsies Highlight the health needs of Gypsies

and Travellersand Travellers Improve Service DeliveryImprove Service Delivery Create working partnershipsCreate working partnerships

A Brief HistoryA Brief History Gypsies and Travellers originate from India Gypsies and Travellers originate from India Gypsies first recorded in the UK 500 years agoGypsies first recorded in the UK 500 years ago 500,000 killed in the Holocaust500,000 killed in the Holocaust Forced sterilisationForced sterilisation Estimated 300,000 Gypsies and Travellers in Estimated 300,000 Gypsies and Travellers in

the UKthe UK Identified as a distinct ethnic group by the Identified as a distinct ethnic group by the

Race Relations Act 1976Race Relations Act 1976

Culture in ContextCulture in Context

Romani languageRomani language Occupations - crafts, horse-trading, Occupations - crafts, horse-trading,

selling, fortune tellingselling, fortune telling Reservations towards educationReservations towards education Strong family valuesStrong family values Rules on cleanlinessRules on cleanliness

Current ProblemsCurrent Problems A GP receptionist calling the police when A GP receptionist calling the police when

Travellers walked through the doorTravellers walked through the door A GP throwing a book, and shouting ‘who is A GP throwing a book, and shouting ‘who is

the doctor here’ at a Traveller womanthe doctor here’ at a Traveller woman Ambulance staff refusing to assist a woman Ambulance staff refusing to assist a woman

in labour until the police arrivedin labour until the police arrived A Health Visitor expressing surprise of how A Health Visitor expressing surprise of how

clean a woman’s caravan isclean a woman’s caravan is A Health Visitor telling a woman to go on A Health Visitor telling a woman to go on

the housing listthe housing list

My Experience…My Experience…

Eileen LowtherEileen Lowther

HealthHealth Significantly poorer health status than Significantly poorer health status than

any other group in the UKany other group in the UK Life expectancy of 50Life expectancy of 50 Those who rarely travel have the poorest Those who rarely travel have the poorest

healthhealth Attitudes towards health service Attitudes towards health service

demonstrate cultural pride and self-demonstrate cultural pride and self-reliancereliance

Women and PregnancyWomen and Pregnancy Highest maternal death rate of all ethnic groups in Highest maternal death rate of all ethnic groups in

the UKthe UK During the study six Gypsy and Traveller women During the study six Gypsy and Traveller women

dieddied Many women go in to labour with very little idea of Many women go in to labour with very little idea of

what is happeningwhat is happening 20% of women who died had not booked maternity 20% of women who died had not booked maternity

care until 24 weeks expectingcare until 24 weeks expecting 29% of women had one or more miscarriages29% of women had one or more miscarriages 6% of women had one or more stillbirths6% of women had one or more stillbirths 18% of women suffered a death of a child18% of women suffered a death of a child

Current Barriers…Current Barriers… GPs reluctant to register Travellers or GPs reluctant to register Travellers or

visit sitesvisit sites Communication difficultiesCommunication difficulties Perceived discriminationPerceived discrimination No knowledge on numbers of Gypsies No knowledge on numbers of Gypsies

and Travellers accessing the health and Travellers accessing the health serviceservice

Lack of policy statementsLack of policy statements

……Current BarriersCurrent Barriers Women are forced to travel long Women are forced to travel long

distances to access maternity caredistances to access maternity care Lack of basic pregnancy information Lack of basic pregnancy information

geared towards womengeared towards women Low expectations of health serviceLow expectations of health service Lack of interest and knowledge among Lack of interest and knowledge among

service providersservice providers

Moving ForwardMoving Forward Working in partnership with Gypsies and Working in partnership with Gypsies and

TravellersTravellers Commission specialist workers, to improve Commission specialist workers, to improve

cultural competence of staffcultural competence of staff Travellers with temporary registration to Travellers with temporary registration to

receive full range of primary servicesreceive full range of primary services Include Gypsies and Travellers on ethnic Include Gypsies and Travellers on ethnic

monitoring documentsmonitoring documents Access to information through audio Access to information through audio

tapes/discstapes/discs

SummarySummary Gypsies and Travellers originate from India and Gypsies and Travellers originate from India and

were killed in the Holocaust were killed in the Holocaust Identified as an ethnic group under the Race Identified as an ethnic group under the Race

Relations Act 1976Relations Act 1976 Significantly poorer health than any other group Significantly poorer health than any other group

with life expectancy of 50with life expectancy of 50 Gypsy and Traveller women have the highest Gypsy and Traveller women have the highest

maternal death rate than any other groupmaternal death rate than any other group Problems due to lack of knowledge and Problems due to lack of knowledge and

recognition of needs by the health servicerecognition of needs by the health service Need for specialist provision, to address Need for specialist provision, to address

inequalities and improve practiceinequalities and improve practice

??????

BibliographyBibliography Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group (2004). Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group (2004). A Better Road: A Better Road:

An Information Booklet for Health Care and other An Information Booklet for Health Care and other ProfessionalsProfessionals. Robert Dawson: Derbyshire. Robert Dawson: Derbyshire

The Health Status of Gypsies and Travellers in EnglandThe Health Status of Gypsies and Travellers in England. . Summary of a report to the Department of Health 2004Summary of a report to the Department of Health 2004

Baker, M (2005) Baker, M (2005) Leeds Baseline census 2004-2005Leeds Baseline census 2004-2005. . Leeds racial Equality: LeedsLeeds racial Equality: Leeds

Jenkins, M (2005) Jenkins, M (2005) A report on Gypsy and Traveller A report on Gypsy and Traveller Women’s experience of Maternity Care. Women’s experience of Maternity Care. Recommendations and Guidelines to improve Gypsy Recommendations and Guidelines to improve Gypsy and Traveller Women’s experience of Maternity Care and Traveller Women’s experience of Maternity Care Midirs: BristolMidirs: Bristol

www.gypsyadvice.comwww.gypsyadvice.com