A PAIR of Flintshire medical practitioners believes the Welsh language makes a big difference to the way a Welsh speaking patient feels.

Anwen Baglin, from Mold, is a midwife at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, is very enthusiastic about the Welsh language.

"Welsh comes naturally to me, that’s my first language, the language I speak with my family. When I speak English, I have to translate from Welsh. And that’s true about Welsh speakers who give birth too,” says Anwen, who lives in Mold, and is also the owner of Mati a Meg gift shop, and AB Esthetics, skincare business.

And Anwen truly believes speaking Welsh helps massively with how a patient feels in hospital.

She added: "What you see is women who are in pain, vulnerable, and extremely nervous. They don't want to have to think of words in their second language when giving birth.

"They want to feel relaxed and secure, by speaking their first language. All new mother’s (who speak Welsh) are very grateful, and tell me. ‘Oh it’s so nice to speak Welsh to someone! “

"A common language between the patient and doctor is all-important. Since 30 May this year, in hospitals across Wales, health boards have a duty to make a record of what language inpatients want to speak and to make sure that all ward staff are aware of the language choice.

Sioned Mair Jones, who’s originally from Sychdyn, is a dietitian who treats cancer patients at Singleton Hospital in Swansea. Sioned sees how communicating in Welsh makes a big difference to the physical and mental wellbeing of patients and their families.

He said: "The Welsh language is very important for some patients. I see people feeling terribly unwell; they're away from home for a long time receiving radiotherapy, away from their families and feel more at home when speaking Welsh. They open up to me because I speak Welsh.

"Some people with learning difficulties come to the ward. They speak Welsh as a first language, and struggle to speak English. I have had to write down the details for them in Welsh. I wouldn't be able to do my job without the Welsh language.

"When I speak Welsh with some patients I see that they understand what I am saying better. They trust me. When patients first come to hospital, they’re scared. They come into hospital, and the place is so different from what they are used to."

And Sioned pinpointed one particular instance when speaking Welsh proved to be a huge help.

He explained: "Before working on the cancer ward, I had a patient who had a brain injury. He had to have a tube connected to his stomach, and he kept taking it out. We tried to feed him with a knife and fork. He was refusing food, and looked right through me. I was talking to him, going through his notes. But he didn’t respond.

“But one day, I don’t know why, I decided to speak Welsh with him. I knew from looking at him, that he understood what I said. That day, I fed him, and that day he ate. His brain injury had affected his ability to speak his second language, English. From that day onwards I only spoke Welsh to him.”

To learn more about the rights to use Welsh within the health sector, go to www.welshlanguagecommissioner.wales/myrights