Well-being and language: language as a well-being objective in Wales

Abstract

ABSTRACT Increasingly, it is recognised that the opportunity to engage with one’s own culture and language is beneficial for an individual’s well-being. Research among indigenous communities in North America, Australia, Scandinavia, and New Zealand, have illustrated the importance of culturo-linguistic congruity. In Wales, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 has come to define the political and legal pursuance of well-being. A unique piece of legislation, this legally mandates all Welsh public bodies to demonstrate they are working to achieve all seven well-being goals established by the Act. Echoing the conclusions of existing research, one identified well-being objective is the promotion of Welsh culture and the Welsh language. Taking account of the current nature of Welsh language provision within the Welsh National Health Service (NHS), the purpose of this paper is to briefly assess the extent to which the Welsh NHS is in a position to facilitate the well-being objective of ensuring service users have an opportunity to utilise the Welsh language. Despite the ambitions of the legislation, it will be argued that the Welsh language is largely absent from the well-being objectives outlined by local health boards.