Gypsies being urged to take more responsibility for their health

Date published: 18 August 2010

Gypsies and Travellers are being urged to take more responsibility for their health, said MEP Paul Nuttall today.

HIs controversial remarks follow publication of a report by the Local Government Association about their health needs.

"It is a sad fact that on average they die at least ten years sooner than the general population.

"But when you look at the reasons for this in the report then I believe their community must take some responsibility for this themselves," said Mr Nuttall, Bury Euro MP for the UK Independence Party.

"If people miss medical appointments they are stigmatised but claiming that Gypsies should be forgiven because 'they don’t have rigid attitudes to time' is outrageous.

"The authorities claim that people are racist towards the Gypsies. But how more condescending can you be to suggest that appointments cannot be kept because of some form of cultural laziness?" said Nuttall.

"Illiteracy is also cited as a reason for their failure to attend appointments and that has always been a problem because of their nomadic way of life. Perhaps if educational needs were tackled their health problems caused by lack of knowledge might be ameliorated," he added.