We have today published our annual report to the Welsh Language Commissioner on the HCPC’s Welsh Language Scheme.
The HCPC has obligations under the Welsh Language Act 1993 to treat the English and Welsh languages On the basis of equality. Since the launch of our Welsh Language Scheme in 2011, we have set out how we will deliver services to Welsh-speaking members of the public in light of these obligations. As part of the scheme, we are dedicated to making sure we treat English and Welsh in the same way when communicating with the public in Wales.
This annual report for 2019-2020 provides updates on how we have continued to implement these steps, including:
- considering the needs of Welsh speakers in the continuing development of our website;
- publishing bilingual advertisements in Wales for any vacancies on our Council; and
- raising awareness amongst employees of our obligations under the Scheme through internal engagement and training.
Notably, as part of the redevelopment of the HCPC website, our website provides the ability for our content to be multilingual, allowing us to develop new Welsh content in the same format as we would English content.
Matthew Clayton, Senior Policy Officer at HCPC says;
“We are committed to offering services to the public in Wales in the language of their choice. Under our scheme, we provide notice of public events in Wales bilingually and offer simultaneous translation and other adjustments when delivering public events in Wales.
“To ensure our services are accessible to members of the public who use the Welsh language, we continually monitor compliance with our Welsh Language Scheme through internal communications or reviews of the content we offer online about the scheme.
“We also note within the report our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and our commitment to meeting our Welsh Language Scheme’s obligation in this area.”
The publication of this report also coincides with the submission of our consultation response to the Welsh Government’s new Welsh Language Standards for healthcare regulators. We have worked diligently within our organisation to make a considered response to the proposed standards and are committed to implementing our existing scheme while new regulations are developed.
Find out more about our Welsh Language Scheme and read the annual report in Welsh and in English.