How we can improve healthcare for Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Boater, and Showmen communities living outside the system

In London, over 44 000 people from the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Boater, and Showmen (GRTBS) communities live in precarious conditions. They live in a cycle of distrust and disengagement with healthcare services that local authorities consistently struggle to break.1 People from these communities face many barriers to accessing healthcare services, leading to many going unseen by the NHS and leaving their healthcare needs unmet.Communities commonly categorised under the GRTBS umbrella are not homogenous and have different healthcare and access needs. These communities vary in terms of language, immigration status, accommodation habits, histories, education levels, and beliefs. In the 2021 Census, 62% of this population presented in “fair,” “bad,” or “very bad” health, versus 18% of the average population in England and Wales.2 These figures likely do not account for the many people that have been missed by the system entirely. Many do not access healthcare until they reach a critical…
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