Traveller Movement note on inclusion of Gypsies and Irish Travellers in the NHS data dictionary

01 Mar 2014

In 2011 Gypsies and Irish Travellers were for the first time included as ethnic minority groups in the ONS national census. Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are legally recognised as ethnic groups, and protected from discrimination by the Race Relations Act (1976, amended 2000) and the Human Rights Act (1998). Despite this the NHS has no plans to update its National Data Dictionary to include Gypsies and Irish Travellers. A national data change notice issued by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) including these groups would greatly enhance the health services ability to address their health needs. Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognized by Government as experiencing the poorest health outcomes of any group in the UK.