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An advisory panel has been set up to monitor and scrutinise Welsh Government plans to improve Welsh language provision in health and social care services.
The eight-person panel will be tasked with looking into the progress made on the Welsh Government’s More than Just Words plan.
The five-year-plan, which began in 2022, aims to ensure Welsh language care is available to those who need it.
The eight members of the panel were announced by Wales’ health minister, Eluned Morgan, at the National Eisteddfod last week.
The panel will be chaired by Elin Wyn, of Bangor University Council.
Who is on the panel?
The advisory board members are:
Chair
Elin Wyn is an independent member of Bangor University Council and is particularly interested in the development of the new North Wales Medical School. She was a member of the Welsh Language Board and has a wealth of communications and marketing experience and a track record of working with partners and stakeholders.
Members
Dr Alwena Morgan is a senior lecturer in Biomedicine at Swansea University who has also been appointed Welsh Language leader in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science. She successfully established Welsh language provision for undergraduate degree schemes at Swansea University School of Medicine. Her research interests include the impact of Welsh language care on Welsh speaking patients.
Dona Lewis is Chief Executive of the National Centre for Learning Welsh. Creating new Welsh speakers is the aim of the Centre, thereby, contributing to the realisation of the Cymraeg 2050 ambition.
Dr Huw Dylan Owen is Gwynedd Council’s Director of Social Services. He completed his doctorate on the Welsh language in care and health services and has worked for Swansea City and County Council, Carmarthenshire Health Trust, Carmarthenshire County Council and Powys County Council. He has been awarded a Welsh Government award for his work in integrating social care and health services.
Dr Olwen Williams is a consultant physician who has worked in the field of Sexual Health and HIV medicine in North Wales for over 30 years. She is currently seconded to Health Education and Improvement Wales as Associate Director of Clinical Leadership. She is Chair elect of the Academy of Royal Colleges in Wales.
Dr Rajan Madhok is an enthusiastic Welsh learner. He is currently a non-Executive Director on the Board of Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a non-Executive Member with Llais (Citizen Voice Body), and a Council Governor with Coleg Cambria.
Rhys Davies is Vice Chair of Anglesey County Council’s Standards Committee. Prior to retiring he was a dentist in Llangefni for over 30 years and worked with the community dental service. He was also Chair of the Dental Association and a Dental Post Graduate tutor for Northwest Wales.
Teresa Owen is Executive Director of Public Health at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and is Chair of the health board’s Welsh Language Forum. Before this she was Executive Director of Public Health at Hywel Dda University Health Board.
Source: Welsh Government
Speaking at the National Eisteddfod on Friday August 11, Mrs Morgan said: “The aim of our plan is to create a health and social care service in which people are actively offered their care in Welsh.
“Research has shown that being able to access services in Welsh can significantly improve people’s experience and, in many cases, improve their health and wellbeing outcomes.
“But it also showed people often found it difficult to access services in Welsh and were reluctant to ask when Welsh language services were not offered.”
Mrs Morgan said the new panel has a “wealth of experience and knowledge of the use of the Welsh language in health and social care services”.
She continued: “They will make recommendations to me on areas where further progress could be made and if there are emerging concerns where ambition is not being met.”
The minister said “significant progress” had been made in the first year of the More than Just Words plan, but insisted “there is much more to be done”.
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