1. Wendy Chatham Director Quality, Standards and Safety Improvement Directorate Department for Health and Social Services Welsh Language Provision and the Healthcare Standards for Wales

2. Why Healthcare Standards for Wales? To improve patient experience through: –promoting care based on shared values –establishing a basis for continuous improvement and assurance –helping to clarify and rationalise expectations on the service –enhancing the reputation of the NHS in Wales –providing a framework both for self-assessment and for external review and investigation

3. Strategic Fit Making the Connections Designed for Life Healthcare Quality Improvement Plan (QuIP) Assessment process: - internal vs external - Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) - Wales Concordat - Performance Management Framework

4. Legislative Background Health and Social Care (Community Healthcare Standards) Act 2003 Section 47: Assembly may prepare and publish statements of standards in relation to the provision of health care by and for Welsh NHS bodies. The Assembly must keep the standards under review and may publish amended statements whenever it considers it appropriate. The standards set out in statements under this section are to be taken into account by every Welsh NHS body in discharging its duty under section 45 of the Act.

5. Development of Healthcare Standards Healthcare Standards Advisory Board Healthcare Standards Project Board Applicable to commissioners and providers of healthcare –National Health Service –Independent Healthcare Sector (from 2008)

6. Healthcare Standards for Wales (May 2005) Framework of 32 high level standards 4 Domains - patient experience, clinical outcomes, healthcare governance and public health Integrated Core & Developmental Standards Technical Guides Assessment Process - self-assessment and external review (HIW)

7. National Reporting Framework Annual Healthcare Standards Improvement Plan Annual Healthcare Standards Improvement Plan Financial monitoring returns Financial monitoring returns Annual Operating Framework Annual Operating Framework Regional Office Quarterly performance Management End of year Performance Judgement

8. Current emphasis on Welsh Language Broad approach –Specific standards –Technical guides Current framework concentrates on: –Availability of information –Dignity and respect –Avoidance of discrimination

9. Standard 6 Healthcare organisations, in recognising different language, communication, physical and cultural needs: –make information available and accessible to patients, service users their carers and relatives and the public on their services; –provide patients and service users with timely information on their condition; the care and treatment they will receive as well as after-care and support arrangements; and –provide patients and service users with opportunities to discuss and agree options relating to their care.

12. Standard 10 Healthcare organisations ensure that people accessing healthcare are not unfairly discriminated against on the grounds of age, gender, disability, ethnicity, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

15. Greater consideration of the Welsh Language Develop the process to: –emphasise the Welsh Language –consider environment, facilities etc Integrate the framework into the Healthcare Standards and Private and Voluntary Healthcare (PVH) Regulations and National Minimum Standards (NMS) during 2009

16. Involvement of the Task and Finish Group Revision of Healthcare Standards for Wales –expert advice to ensure we promote language requirements in revised standards Technical guides –involvement in annual updating PVH Regulations and NMS –expert advice to ensure we promote language requirements through these key documents