A GP practice in Yorkshire has turned around healthcare provision in one of the UK's most vulnerable populations.
Over the past decade, GP Dr Vijay Kumar has spearheaded a 'designer-made healthcare system' for Doncaster's Gypsy and Traveller community, which has seen immunisation rates increase nearly 20-fold.
Dr Kumar was invited to speak at last month's Operation Traveller Vote conference to discuss how health services for Traveller communities can improve.
Dr Kumar's practice targeted five major areas for improvement: childhood immunisations, cervical smears, mammograms, men's health and palliative care.
The programme has seen immunisation levels in the community leap from 4% in 2003 to 70% today, and more than half (55%) of women now receiving cervical smear tests, while none did 10 years ago.
People from Gypsy and Traveller populations tend to die 10-12 years younger than the general population, largely owing to lifestyle factors.
Improving care in Traveller communities often requires specialised solutions and tact, says Dr Kumar.
His practice offers to immunise children and babies outside traditional baby clinic times, for example, during women's welfare clinics, to maximise uptake.
GPs should capitalise on opportunities when Travellers come for appointments, he added. 'They may have come for something else entirely, but use it as an opportunity to spread public health messages or take blood tests.
Practices could consider offering 15-minute instead of 10-minute appointments, Dr Kumar added.
'These very small and very achievable measures will pay dividends to the NHS in terms of cost-benefit and patient satisfaction,' he said.