Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the report by Leeds GATE, the University of Dundee and the University of York Enhancing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Peoples’ Trust: using maternity and early years’ health services and dental health services as exemplars of mainstream provision, published on 14 September 2018.

This report informed inclusion health guidance, which includes Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. However, its recommendations were not intended for implementation. The report was funded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Policy Research Programme in June 2015 to support national policy development in health, care and public health systems.

Subsequent policy development in this area includes the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities’ Inclusion Health: applying All Our Health online resource. This provides guidance for health and care professionals to prevent ill-health and promote wellbeing for people in inclusion health groups in everyday practice, including Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people. The guidance reiterates many of the recommendations in the Leeds GATE report, such as providing flexible services, supporting registration with a general practitioner and increasing collaborative working. It also includes ensuring individuals can access services through outreach activities in the community.