Warning over GP services in Welsh
AN UNPRECEDENTED recruitment challenge means it is unlikely that all GP teams will be able to offer services in Welsh, even in the language’s heartlands, the BMA has stated in response to calls for new patient rights.
Campaigners want new regulations to guarantee Welsh language rights for people using primary care services such as GPs and pharmacists.
Healthcare professionals have written an open letter to newlyappointed Welsh Language Minister Eluned Morgan, expressing their concern that under draft proposals there would be “no legal rights for people to receive services in the Welsh language from GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacists”.
They argue this is “particularly important as we are talking about some of the most vulnerable people in our society, at a time in their life when communicating in Welsh is very important for their health and for ensuring the best possible treatment”.
However, the BMA has cautioned that new requirements could make it even harder to fill GP posts. Dr Charlotte Jones, who chairs the BMA’s Welsh GP committee, said: “BMA Cymru Wales fully recognises the importance of patients being able to communicate with their GP and the wider healthcare team in their first language, in particular those with advanced needs. We are, however, currently facing unprecedented recruitment and retention challenges in general practice across Wales and the rest of the UK.
“Therefore it is unlikely that all GP teams in Welsh-language areas will be able to speak Welsh and requesting this would inevitably cause further difficulties in recruiting into posts. Moves to strengthen the Welsh language in healthcare must be balanced with the need to operate an effective and fully-staffed service which addresses the requirements of the local population on the basis of clinical need.”
She added: “BMA Cymru Wales supports practical steps to make it easier for healthcare professionals that want to learn Welsh; utilising the multi-disciplinary team creatively; and wider promotion of the ‘language line’ available to all GPs which offers on-the-spot translation services for a multitude of languages including Welsh.”
But in the open letter to Ms Morgan, distributed by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, professionals ranging from consultants and pharmacists to drama therapists make the case that new Welsh Language Standards should “establish robust and legally enforceable rights for the public to receive primary care services in Welsh”.
They state: “We are concerned that your draft regulations do not guarantee Welsh language rights for the public in their interactions with primary care providers in the health service. As you know, these services are the public’s main point of contact with the health service, so it is crucial that patients are able to access primary care services in Welsh throughout the country.
“We believe it is important that these front-line service providers are not exempted from the proposed Standards... We believe, therefore, that primary care service providers must be subject to the Welsh Language Standards under the same statutory framework as the health boards and other health bodies.
“Steps must be taken to ensure that proposed legislation and subordinate legislation reflect the need to promote the Welsh language in primary care services. A significant body of international research supports such an approach.”
“We therefore urge you to amend the draft regulations so that people have robust rights in these crucial areas.”
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “Our strategic framework, More Than Just Words, aims to strengthen Welsh language services in health and social care. At its heart is the idea that being able to use your own language must be a core component of care – not an optional extra.
“We are working with health and social care providers, including primary care providers, to make sure Welsh language services are actively offered to people, especially those with a specific need such as the elderly and young children. We have consulted on draft regulations to make Welsh Language Standards for the health sector, and are currently considering the way forward.”