A new report on tackling suicide inequalities in Gypsy and Traveller communities has been published for public health and healthcare professionals. 
National charity Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) has released a new report produced in collaboration with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).
‘Tackling Suicide Inequalities in Gypsy and Traveller communities’ aims to provide guidance for public health and healthcare professionals on how to ensure the communities are included within suicide prevention planning and support.
The interactive report covers a range of areas relating to suicide prevention, such as social risk factors for poor mental health and high suicide incidence, as well as examples of good practice
Gypsy and Traveller communities are known to face some of the most severe health inequalities and poorest life outcomes amongst the United Kingdom population.
Currently Romany and Traveller people are nearly three times more likely to be anxious than others, over twice as likely to experience depression and are estimated to have life expectancies between 10 and 25 years shorter than the general population.
Evidence also suggests that Irish Traveller people are six to seven times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.
Gypsy and Traveller civil society groups often report a similarly stark picture across England.
Despite the significance of the issue, FFT research has previously found that only five out of 79 local suicide prevention plans in England mention Gypsy and Traveller communities.
This West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (WY HCP)'s Suicide Prevention Programme has invested in Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (GATE) to reduce suicide risk and improve awareness among Gypsy and Traveller communities across West Yorkshire.
They are offering crisis support, anti-stigma work and suicide prevention training, as well as supporting mainstream services to be more inclusive of Gypsy, Romany, Traveller communities.
Speaking about the new report, Josie Garrett, health policy lead at FFT, said: “Gypsy and Traveller communities are too often missed in mainstream datasets, leading to professionals feeling unsure of where to begin.
“This report marks and important step towards tackling the tragic levels of suicide prevalence in Romany and Traveller communities.”
Matty Mitchell, Romany campaigner and Health Campaigns Office at FFT, added: “Reports of this kind are not only a rarity; they are also vital.
“Suicide prevalence among Gypsy and Traveller communities exists beyond the literature.
“Each loss we experience is a human being and this is unfortunately a lived experience for individuals, for families and for entire communities.
“It’s time now that we genuinely reflect on this dire gap in provision and ensure that local mental health support is inclusive of Romany and Traveller people.”