By Stephanie McKinley, Social Prescribing Network Manager
It is estimated that around 30000 Gypsy, Roma, and Travellers are living in and around London.
Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Travellers are recognised as ethnic groups under the Race Relations Act 1976, and they are protected by the Equality Act 2010. But prejudice, discrimination and isolation affect their access to services, jobs and accommodation.
Recently, I attended a webinar about digital exclusion and health inequalities for these communities.
Takeaways from the event
It was run jointly by the Roma Support Group and Friends, Families, and Travellers, and there are a few main takeaways that I felt were worth sharing.
- These communities have the worst health outcomes of any ethnic group
- There is a reluctance for these communities to reveal their identify for fear of stigma and discrimination
- Many report being treated badly, including being laughed at by health professionals when revealing they are from certain parts of these communities when seeking help
- 42% of them report having long term conditions versus 18% in the general population
- There is a real issue when looking at digital confidence, awareness, and privacy concerns for these communities, especially Roma communities
Given the above, when we think about prevention and the Core 20+5 work that Integrated Care Systems are so keen to implement, it would make sense for there to be a concerted effort to target these communities, as it is a place where it could make a really big difference.
My thoughts
Evidence shows that people with long term conditions require a lot more resource, have increased access to Accident and Emergency services, and experience worse health outcomes.
One of the main challenges the NHS faces is identifying these populations, which is difficult without building relationships with communities that often have deep-rooted fear and mistrust of health services.
Given the NHS’s limited resources, specific projects and funding should be allocated to locating these groups in London and working collaboratively with voluntary sector organisations to build trust and support their health needs.
One example is Community Connector programmes, whereby trusted members within a particular community take on a health role. These have been helpful in reaching vulnerable communities. However, as many of these groups work long hours in jobs that aren’t 9-5, I don’t think the volunteering route – which most of these programmes rely upon – would work for them.
Instead, dedicated paid resource is needed to pay someone in their community to take on a health connector role. That would be one effective way to really understand what this community needs and tailor health services to meet those needs. A dedicated social prescriber from this community could be of immense value as well.
I realise that there are other communities that experience health inequalities, but it shocked me to hear that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities have the worst health outcomes than others I hear about regularly.
It’s high time that this inequality had a light shone on it.
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller webinar
We are hosting an online webinar to discuss this important topic in November.
The event will cover
- An introduction to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities and the differences between them
- General barriers to engagement
- Key findings and guidance relevant to the areas of mental health, maternal health, social prescribing and digital exclusion
- Recommendations
If you would like to attend the event, please sign up below.
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