Inclusion Health Team (supporting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller, Showmen and Boater, Homeless and Asylum-Seeking families)

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The Inclusion Health Team is provided by a specialist team of healthcare professionals who provide community healthcare to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, Showmen and Boaters, families in temporary, emergency accommodation and Asylum-Seeking families living in Surrey.

Hear from Lisa Gavin, Clinical Service Manager for the Inclusion Health Team about how the service can support you and your family.

The team works with vulnerable families from the below communities across Surrey:

  1. Families in temporary, emergency accommodation and those experiencing homelessness
  2. Asylum Seekers and Refugees in emergency accommodation
  3. Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and Showmen and Boaters.

The Inclusion Health Team consists of a specialist team of healthcare professionals (health visitors, school nurses and community nursery nurses). If you are not currently connected to routine healthcare services such as a GP practice, the team will work with you to support you and your family. The team also has a Roma Vaccine Equity Co-ordinator and Ukrainian Therapist, who work alongside the team.

Families in temporary, emergency accommodation and those experiencing homelessness

The team will visit you and your family in emergency accommodation including hostels, hotels and sofa surfing (if you're sleeping on different friends floor each night). They will support you with assessing your health needs, fast track referrals, complete developmental checks, immunisations and work closely with other services such as maternity, education and social care. The team have expertise in dealing with modern slavery, trafficking and exploitation and will support you if you are fleeing domestic abuse including forced marriage and honor based violence.

Asylum Seekers and Refugees in emergency accommodation

Since April 2021, Asylum-Seeking families and Refugees at all stages of the asylum process, have been placed in hotel accommodation. The team will visit you and your family in hotels and work closely with GPs, hospital and maternity care, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services, along with a range of other services to support you and your family. 

Clinics are delivered by the team at hotels, providing Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) developmental reviews, antenatal and post-natal support, along with practical and emotional support to support you and your family who may have experienced multiple traumas.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and Showmen and Boaters

The team will visit you and your family in houses, on sites and on unauthorised encampments to challenge the many barriers you may be experiencing when accessing healthcare services. 

The team will build trusted relationships with you and your family and during their visit they will provide new birth visits, screening and blood pressure checks, dental health advice along with sexual and women’s health advice via an online support group. These are delivered across a range of settings including private and council Traveller sites and housed communities.

The team works closely with Surrey Community Gypsy and Traveller Forum and other organisations such as Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT), The Traveller Movement, Margaret Clitherow Trust and directly with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and Showmen and Boaters to develop and improve the service.

The team also supports GP services to improve the uptake of Covid-19 and routine immunisations and works with them to help support you and your family with accessing NHS services. 

You can contact the team through the Surrey-wide 0-19 Advice Line or email the team directly on: fchc.inclusionhealth@nhs.net

You and your family can also be referred to the service from other Children and Family Health Surrey services and other healthcare professionals such as midwives, schools, and partner organisations including Surrey’s Race Equality and Minority Achievement (REMA) team, Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF) and other voluntary and community groups.

From the Happy Baby Community

"It's been an absolute pleasure to work with the team. Nothing is ever a problem and the way you quickly address and sort things out has made my job so much easier! I look forward to continuing to work with your team."

From a member of the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller community

"The team are respected and trusted in the Gypsy, Roma, Traveler community and they have given so much time to offer support to the community."

 

  • Photo by permission of Surrey Gypsy and Traveller Communities Forum