Some stroke survivors are left unable to communicate through the medium of Welsh as access to speech and language therapy in their first language or language of choice is not available.
The Stroke Association believes survivors who speak Welsh should be offered a Welsh language service to ensure equity of service provision when receiving speech and language therapy in Welsh. The charity commissioned Cardiff Metropolitan University to find out the needs and experiences of Welsh-speaking stroke survivors and the importance of the availability of support in their first language, Welsh.
The report says that providing health care services in someone’s language of choice has been long recognised as important to their care and for stroke survivors can be vital for recovery.
Aphasia is a language and communication disorder with stroke being its biggest cause. It affects someone's ability to speak, read, write and use numbers. There are over 70,000 stroke survivors in Wales, of which 40% experience aphasia.
There is little information or data on the prevalence of Welsh speaking stroke survivors. There is not a clear understanding of the capacity to deliver speech and language therapy in Welsh to those with aphasia. More information, on the prevalence of aphasia following stroke in Wales and about access to services, is needed to support future conversations about planning and provision.
Sian Teagle, aged 50, from Bargoed, had her stroke in December 2022 and believes offering speech and language therapy in Welsh is vital for Welsh speakers and would have helped her in her recovery from her stroke.
“Speaking Welsh is extremely important to me, and it is part of me. When I had my stroke, I was given speech and language therapy in English but was never offered the same service in Welsh.”
“After my stroke, my daughter Arwen who is a Welsh speaker said my Welsh was much better than my English. I would start slurring in English, but my Welsh was ok. I may have been more confident with my Welsh if I was able to have speech and language therapy. I was never asked do I need speech and language therapy in Welsh which now I find staggering.”
“I was incredibly lucky as my family were fluent Welsh speakers and encouraged me to. There was one nurse on the ward who practiced with me, but she wasn’t fluent. There was another patient in hospital at the same time as me and her first language was Welsh and they asked me to talk to her, really, she should have had access to a Welsh speech and language therapy, as should anyone who wants it to help them in their recovery.”
The Stroke Association offers a number of services in the Welsh language including the Welsh speaking online support group ‘Paned a Sgwrs’ and ‘Stroke Helpline’ offers a call back service with a Welsh speaker.
Llinos Wyn Parry, Engagement Lead for the Stroke Association in Wales said: “The Stroke Association is committed to providing the highest level of service to everyone who speaks and reads Welsh. We are proud of our presence in Wales, and of our Welsh-speaking stroke survivors, volunteers and staff.
“The Welsh Language is a well-established part of the rich tapestry of Wales and we understand for those who speak Welsh, it is a central part of their life and an important part of the culture and community. We believe everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke. For Welsh speakers, we know that this means supporting you in your language of choice.
“That’s why we worked with Cardiff Met to gain an increased understanding of the needs of Welsh Speaking stroke survivors as we work with partners to increase and build on the support we can already offer through the medium of Welsh. The Stroke Association will continue to work on developing enhanced aphasia services that support the communication needs of mono- and bilingual people in Wales –helping to support the building of a Welsh-language communication support offer to enhance existing aphasia services and provide community-based intervention like Paned a Sgwrs in areas where there is a shortage.”
Carys Williams, Senior Lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy at Cardiff Metropolitan University, said: “This initial report is an important piece of work in that it is a starting point for further research about Welsh language provision within stroke care.
“It is vital to listen to and learn from the experiences of individuals that have communication difficulties after stroke to inform quality care. The report highlights the importance of considering the needs of people with Welsh as their first language when planning services in Wales.”
Pippa Cotterill, Head of Wales office, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists said:
“We welcome the publication of this research on Welsh-speaking people’s experiences of speech, language and communication difficulties and the debate that this raises. Speech and language therapy plays a critical role in the rehabilitation and reablement of stroke survivors by assessing their needs and providing appropriate strategies to support their speech, language, communication and swallowing needs. We need a clearer understanding, across statutory and voluntary organisations, about the pathways for speech and language therapy support for people with communication difficulties when Welsh is a person’s choice language.
“The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists believes that interventions should be offered and delivered in Welsh for anyone who wishes it. We welcome the investment in Welsh speaking lecturers through the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to ensure undergraduates are able to study through the medium of Welsh, and appreciate the use of quotas for Welsh speakers within commissioning figures for the profession. We believe these developments will lead to increases in the number of Welsh speaking speech and language therapists."
For more information, contact: Laura Thomas, Communications Officer for Wales at the Stroke Association at
Laura.Thomas@stroke.org.uk
