Dr. Regina McQuillan:

There was mention of Travellers and how the organisations manage. Hospices are probably better able to deal with Traveller families and crowds than are hospitals, first, because they are smaller and, second, because they are more flexible. Sometimes the issue for Traveller families when they come into hospitals is that it is a big organisation which has many other matters to manage, and they can be more of a difficulty within hospital organisations. One of the points that came from the International, Access, Rights and Empowerment, IARE, study is that maybe hospitals where there is a large catchment area of Travellers need to have more specific training and induction for staff in those areas so that they have a better understanding that there is a bigger Traveller population here. Even though not that many Traveller patients may go to them, hospices, because of their flexibility, are probably better able to deal with it.