Reaching for the Rope - Jake Bowers investigates the Gypsy/Traveller suicide epidemic

A new investigation into the suicide epidemic among Gypsies, Roma and Travellers by Drive 2 Survive co-chair Jake Bowers has revealed a hidden mental health crisis that families are struggling to cope with. Is it time the NHS did more to stop Gypsies and Travellers reaching for the rope?

A series of three short films, supported by the NHS Race and Health Observatory, explore the spate of suicides amongst Britain’s 600,000 Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people. With as many as 11% of community members dying from suicide, the personal and candid testimonies contained highlight desperate health inequalities.

In 2022, the Observatory partnered with the University of Worcester to explore how mental health services are engaging with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities across the UK. Subsequently, a comprehensive report ‘Inequalities in Mental Health Care for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller Communities: Identifying Best Practice’ was published in September 2023. 

The suicide rate within this community is estimated to be up to seven times higher than all other communities. This is in addition to a shorter life expectancy of up to 10 years less in comparison to the national population average. These co-produced practical resources are designed to support professionals who provide mental health and care services to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities who face barriers in accessing digital services, securing employment, and have limited access to local healthcare services.

To illustrate the 2023 report findings, Romani journalist and film producer, Jake Bowers, travelled from Kent to Cumbria during the summer of 2024 and explored the cost of poor mental health within his community. He said: “There’s an epidemic in the Gypsy and Traveller community that’s only known by the families who are suffering in silence. Our lives are being cut short by a mental health crisis that too often results in suicide.” 

Jake also shares personal testimony and the devastating loss by suicide of his brother Danny, as he met other community members whose relatives have also taken their own lives. The three-part film series allows the bereaved to tell their loved one’s stories, whilst remaining anonymous. In Lincolnshire, Cambridge and Glasgow, the films explore the views of community activists who are tackling mental health issues within their own communities.

“These are incredibly powerful videos. The willingness of GRT community members to share their lived experiences is not only courageous but also profoundly impactful. The storytelling has the power to resonate with so many and to encourage others to share their own experiences and seek help. I'm certain that this work will make a real difference,” says Josie O’Driscoll, CEO of Gypsy and Traveller Empowerment in Hertfordshire, one of the organisations involved in the project. 

“When the NHS Race and Health Observatory was established in 2021, we committed ourselves to exploring ethnic and racial health inequity wherever it existed," said Professor Habib Naqvi, CEO of the NHS Race and Health Observatory.

"One of our earliest pieces of work explores the unique healthcare challenges faced by Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities, one of the most marginalised groups in our society facing some of the starkest barriers to accessing healthcare, particularly for mental health. We hope these films can provide local government, charities and NHS services with useful insights to enable the co-design and delivery of more focused and targeted mental health support.”

“These powerful films - exploring experiences of mental health in these communities - bring this research to life in a way that a report cannot do on its own," said Sam Rodger, Assistant Director, Policy and Strategy, NHS Race and Health Observatory. "They give genuine voice to the experiences of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people, and shine a light on the challenges they face. These films also highlight the fantastic work happening across the country to enhance services, to raise awareness, and bring people together. Our hope is that these films will pave the way for healthcare services that better serve these communities.” 

NHS Health Observatory press release/TT News

(Video by Jake Bowers. Lead image still from Reaching for the Rope part one)