Maternity Care for Gypsy, Roma & Traveller Families

Practical, judgement-free guidance for pregnancy and postnatal care

Your rights & safety After birth 5 modules

1 Why this pathway exists

4 min read

Friends, Families and Travellers report that members of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities expect to live between 10 and 25 years less than the wider population, and to spend fewer of those years in good health.

Their explanation is about how services are built, not about the people using them: the way the health and care system is designed "can often make it harder for members of these communities to access the support, care and treatment they need". So this isn’t about anything you have or haven’t done.

This short pathway covers practical things that make care easier to get and easier to trust: your rights, what to expect, and where to turn if something isn’t working.

2 You don’t need a fixed address

4 min read

You are entitled to register with a GP and receive full NHS maternity care whether you live in a house, a trailer, or move between sites. The NHS is unequivocal about the paperwork: you do not need ID, proof of address, or proof of immigration status.

If you have no permanent address you can register using a temporary address, or the address of the GP surgery itself. A practice turning you away for lacking an address is not applying the rules correctly.

Moving between areas doesn’t reset your care — ask your midwife to send your notes ahead, or carry a copy of your handheld maternity notes yourself so any team can pick up where the last one left off.

3 Making appointments work for you

4 min read

If reading letters or forms is difficult, you can ask any service — GP, midwife or hospital — for information to be explained verbally, or for an easy-read version. This is a reasonable adjustment they should offer, not a special favour.

You’re welcome to bring a partner, family member, or friend into appointments to help you take in information and ask questions on your behalf.

Before your next appointment, try writing down (or asking someone to write down) the one or two things you most want to ask. Having it in front of you makes it easier to raise, even on a rushed day.

4 Sharing your background is your choice

4 min read

Telling a health professional you’re Gypsy, Roma or Traveller is entirely your decision — it is never required to receive care, and it should never change how you’re treated.

If you do choose to share it, it can help your team offer more relevant support — for example, flagging extra postnatal check-ins where local services do this. This information is protected as special-category data: it should stay in your notes for care purposes only.

If you ever feel judged or treated differently because of your background, that is not acceptable, and it is worth raising — the next module covers how.

5 Getting support and raising concerns

5 min read

Health visitors can usually be reached by phone or text if visiting in person is difficult, and most areas have outreach specifically for Traveller and Roma families — ask your midwife what’s available locally.

Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) work specifically on health access for GRT communities and can offer advice and advocacy — their site has current contact details.

If you feel your care fell short, PALS — the Patient Advice and Liaison Service — gives confidential advice and helps resolve concerns about NHS care. You’re entitled to raise concerns and have them taken seriously, the same as anyone else.