What is the Welsh Government doing to encourage GP surgeries and hospitals to increase the provision of Welsh-medium communications to patients?
Our More than just words plan 2022-27, which complements the Welsh language standards, demonstrates our commitment to strengthening the use of the Welsh language in health and social care services. Results from the Welsh Language Use Survey 2019 to 2020 showed that 56% of Welsh speakers had been offered customer service in Welsh the last time they contacted the GP surgery or hospital.
The first annual report for More than just words was published in December. Strengthening Welsh language services in health and social care is a journey and the report shows that although there is more to be done over the plan’s five-year timescale a lot has been achieved.
Welsh language standards do not apply to independent primary care providers. However, Welsh language duties have been placed on independent primary care providers since 2019. These include notifying the health board if they provide services in Welsh and recording the language preference of patients.
Following the introduction of the Welsh language duties a survey was undertaken with GP practices in 2019 to establish a baseline about their Welsh language provision. We intend to undertake a similar survey with primary care providers to understand the impact the Welsh language duties have had. The findings of the survey will be available in 2025. The aim will be to identify best practice and provide advice for executive directors of primary care to further progress and enhance services in Welsh.