WIREDGOV

Wales’ health and social care services are committed to improving the provision of services through the Welsh language, a new report published by the Welsh Goverment reveals.

In November 2012, the Welsh Government launched More than just words… the strategic framework to strengthen Welsh language services in health, social services and social care.

The strategy’s first annual report, which is published recently, sets out the work currently being carried out to improve the use of Welsh as part of the Welsh Government’s commitment to delivering high-quality health, social services and social care services centered on people’s needs, including the language needs of Welsh speakers.

Health and Social Services Minister, Mark Drakeford said:

“Strengthening Welsh language services in our health and social care services is about improving the quality of care for patients and service users.  For many Welsh speakers, language is an integral element of their care. For example, some people with dementia, or who have suffered a stroke, and children under five, need to be able to communicate in their first language.  

“A large number of service users are vulnerable and giving them the responsibility of asking for services through the medium of Welsh can contribute to their anxiety. It is the responsibility of the NHS and social services to deliver appropriate services which, of course, includes meeting users’ linguistic needs. Only by doing this can they provide care that is safe and effective.

“This is very much about patient safety as well as ensuring the dignity and respect for those patients whose first language is Welsh. This is why I am determined the strategy will make a difference to people’s lives as part of the Welsh Government’s agenda of providing the best possible health care.”

The report clearly shows the work already undertaken to improve provision. The information gathered in the first year shows there is real commitment to delivering change.

The annual report shows:

• A commitment to collecting the Welsh language needs of patients and users of services in order to begin to plan for a bilingual provision in a more systematic way
• The integration of internal systems that will monitor the capacity of health boards and NHS trusts to provide a bilingual service. This includes gathering staff language skills in order to assess the capacity to ensure that Welsh speakers are available for patients
• A strengthening of leadership across health and social services, which demonstrates a clear recognition of the importance of understanding community needs, identifying and supporting the language skills of existing workers and creating a proactive culture.

Professor Drakeford added:

“We have always been very clear that the first year of the strategy’s delivery was about laying the foundations for the changes we all want to see in the accessibility of Welsh language services across health and social care in Wales.

“We have a long way to go to realise the aims of More than just words… We must now move on from planning provision to making direct service changes so where there is a need people can receive services in their language of choice and recognise the improvements being made.”

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