Welsh Language Commissioner Moves to Strengthen Welsh Language Health Care Services

In a move that has huge implications for the future health of the Welsh tongue, and the health of Welsh speakers, the Office of the Welsh Language Commissioner (Meri Huws) have announced a series of public forums to be held throughout Wales until October 11, 2013 that will afford Welsh speakers an opportunity to "..share their experience of using the Welsh language when accessing primary health care services."

The meetings are being held to collect information to be included in a report of the Commissioner's Inquiry into the adequacy of health care services provided to Welsh speakers.  The language stands to benefit enormously if the Commissisoner's Report recommends language requirements for health care providers.  This move would firstly honour the rights of Welsh speakers to receive health care service in Welsh whilst strengthening the tongue through it's every day usage in the provision  of health care services in  Wales.

The following statements by the Commisssioner's spokesman, Nia Davies,  were published on the Commissioner's web page:

In order to produce the most powerful report possible, we are asking the public to share their experiences of using the Welsh language when accessing primary care services with us. Many have already done so by contacting us on our website, by phone and by writing, and we also had an opportunity to talk with many people at the Urdd Eisteddfod, the Royal Welsh Show and the National Eisteddfod.
By holding a series of meetings in communities across Wales over the next month, we hope to reach more people and to gather more evidence, so we will have a clear picture of the level of Welsh language service delivered in different geographical areas, which will help us when we are writing the report.

www.comisiynyddygymraeg.org/English/News/Pages/AnopportunitytodiscusstheWelshlanguage-in-primary-health-care-in-your-area.aspx

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/welsh-language-commissioner-launches-nhs-3663923