Llais strengthens its commitment to Welsh language health and social care services
We have signed a new pledge with the Mwy na geiriau team in Welsh Government that will strengthen joint working to improve Welsh language provision across health and social care services in Wales.
The pledge, signed on 7 August 2026, sets out a shared commitment to ensure people can access health and social care services in the language that is natural to them.
The agreement recognises that the Welsh language is far more than a means of communication. For many people, particularly when accessing healthcare or social care, being able to communicate in Welsh is fundamental to feeling safe, understood and treated with dignity and respect.
Building on what people have told us
The pledge comes as we also publish a new spotlight report highlighting the experiences of people trying to access health and social care services in Welsh. The report found that access remains inconsistent across Wales, and that language can have a direct impact on people's wellbeing, dignity, and experience of care.
People told us that being able to use Welsh helped them feel involved, valued and respected, while others described feeling overlooked or disadvantaged when services were unable to meet their language needs. The report also highlighted situations where language was particularly important, including mental health care, dementia services, end-of-life care and discussions about treatment options.
Among the experiences shared were accounts of children being unable to complete eye tests accurately because Welsh language materials were unavailable, people struggling to discuss their feelings in English, and families describing the comfort Welsh brought to loved ones in the final stages of life.
A shared commitment
The new pledge establishes a framework for closer collaboration between us and the Welsh Government's Mwy na geiriau team to help turn Welsh language ambitions into reality for health and social care services.
As the independent statutory body representing the views and experiences of people using health and social care services, we play a key role in gathering evidence about people's experiences, highlighting areas where services are working well and identifying where improvements are needed.
The partnership will focus on ensuring that Welsh language considerations are embedded in policy, planning, engagement and service improvement, helping to make services more accessible, responsive and person-centered.
Putting people at the heart of services
A key principle of the pledge is support for the Active Offer, which – when in place – makes sure that people can access services in Welsh without needing to ask for them.
The pledge reflects a shared belief that Welsh-speaking people, their families and carers should be able to:
Communicate in Welsh without needing to request it.
Receive clear, timely and accessible information in their preferred language.
Feel listened to, understood and respected.
See how their experiences and feedback help shape improvements.
It also recognises that language and culture are an important part of a person's identity and should be considered an integral part of care.
As part of the pledge, we have also committed to:
Gathering and representing the views and experiences of Welsh-speaking people, carers, families and loved ones.
Monitoring and reporting on people's experiences of Welsh language provision.
Identifying gaps, risks and inequalities in services.
Highlighting examples of good practice.
Supporting Welsh-speaking communities to have their voices heard and influence decision-making.
The evidence we gather will help inform future policy, planning and improvement activity across health and social care services. We will also work with Welsh Government to share insights, data and learning, helping to improve the consistency and visibility of Welsh language services across Wales.
The partnership will also promote the value of Welsh as a language of care and encourage organisations to recognise and respond to people's language needs as early as possible.