The Right to Health Care

In 1995 the Minority Rights Group identified the following particular concerns about the health of the Gypsy and Traveller population in this country:

• Life expectancy of Gypsies and Travellers is poor and significantly less than the sedentary population;
  
• The Gypsy and Traveller birth rate is high and prenatal mortality, stillbirth mortality and infant mortality is significantly higher than the national average;
  
• There are numerous chronic illnesses suffered by Gypsies and Travellers (for example, respiratory and digestive diseases, rheumatism);
  
• Many Gypsies and Travellers have an unbalanced diet, leading to deficiencies;
  
• Smoking is very common amongst Gypsies and Travellers;
  
• Gypsies have little, if any, dental care with access to such care being more difficult as a result of many dental practices opting out of the NHS.
  

The University of Sheffield report ‘The Health Status of Gypsies and Travellers in England’ (2004) concluded:
‘[The] sample of Gypsy Travellers had significantly poorer health status and significantly more self-reported symptoms of ill-health than other UK-resident, English speaking ethnic minorities and economically disadvantaged white UK residents’.
The report made a number of recommendations for the future.