The health of Gypsies

BMJ 1998;316:1824 ( 13 June )

Letters

The health of Gypsies

Problem of caring for travellers is British, not just European

Governments and Roma communities must help to improve outlook for Gypsies

Problem of caring for travellers is British, not just European

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR $---$ The editorial by McKee¹ on Gypsies, or Romas, was an interesting factual account of their origins as well as ofthe disadvantages and oppression they face as a minority groupin continental Europe. Yet it is remarkable in that there is nomention of the disadvantages and oppression endured by the sameminority community in the United Kingdom $---$ from the Romas of folklorein the south of England to the tinkers of Scotland and to theNew Age wanderers who seem to seek the romantic image withoutthe responsibilities. Now they travel in trucks towing large caravans;when parked they are usually seen in lay-bys or on waste groundwith lots of dogs, children, and rubbish.

In these unofficial caravan sites they live in the squalor and type of conditions prevailing in this country a couple of centuriesago $---$ no clean or adequate water supply, no sewage disposal . . . [Full text of this article]