Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2018/441/made
Timestamp: 2018-04-24 07:10:18
Document Index: 596595364

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'ART 1']

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by sections 26, 27, 39 and 150(5) of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011(1), having received the approval of the National Assembly for Wales in accordance with section 150(2) of that Measure, make the following Regulations:
1.—(1) The title of these Regulations is the Welsh Language Standards (No. 7) Regulations 2018.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 29 June 2018.
a “care home service” (“gwasanaeth cartref gofal”) has the same meaning as in section 2(2) of, and paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to, the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016(2);
a “case conference” (“cynhadledd achos”) means an interaction the main purpose of which is to discuss an individual’s (“A”) health related provision and is between—
one or more bodies, and
one or more persons where at least one of those persons is a county council or a county borough council in Wales;
a “clinic” (“clinig”) is a surgery or consulting room in which—
a clinical consultation; or
a private clinical consultation;
a “clinical consultation” (“ymgynghoriad clinigol”) means a health provision interaction between one or more individuals and a body;
“health provision” (“darpariaeth iechyd”) means the provision of health services as part of the national health service to an individual and includes the assessment, diagnosis or treatment of that individual;
“health related provision” (“darpariaeth sy’n ymwneud ag iechyd”) means provision of services to an individual which may have an effect on the health of that individual but which are not health provision or private health provision;
a “hospital” (“ysbyty”) means—
and includes clinics, dispensaries and out-patient departments maintained in connection with any such home or institution;
an “individual” (“unigolyn”) means a natural person ordinarily resident in Wales acting in their personal capacity; but does not include an individual acting in their capacity as a volunteer;
an “in-patient” (“claf mewnol”) means an individual who is admitted to hospital for at least one night;
an “in-patient admission” (“derbyniad fel claf mewnol”) begins on the day the in-patient is admitted to hospital and ends on the day the in-patient ceases to be in hospital;
a “member of staff” (“aelod o staff”) means an employee of a body or a natural person working for a body but not a person appointed to a body by the Welsh Ministers, a Minister of the Crown, Secretary of State, a county council or county borough council or a voluntary organisation(3) (and “staff” (“staff”) must be construed accordingly);
“national health service” (“gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol”) means the comprehensive health service in Wales continued under section 1(1) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006(4);
a “national health service clinic” (“clinig gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol”) means a clinic vested in the Welsh Ministers, a Local Health Board or a National Health Service Trust;
a “national health service hospital” (“ysbyty gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol”) means a hospital vested in the Welsh Ministers, a Local Health Board or a National Health Service Trust;
a “primary care provider” (“darparwr gofal sylfaenol”) means a person who provides a primary care service on behalf of a Local Health Board;
a “primary care service” (“gwasanaeth gofal sylfaenol”) means a service provided under a contract, arrangement or agreement made under or by virtue of any of the following provisions of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006—
section 41(2)(b) (primary medical services);
section 42(1) (general medical services contracts);
section 50 (arrangements by Local Health Boards for the provision of primary medical services);
section 57(1) (general dental services contracts);
section 64 (arrangements by Local Health Boards for the provision of primary dental services);
(section 71 (arrangements for general ophthalmic services);
section 80 (arrangements for pharmaceutical services);
section 81 (additional pharmaceutical services);
section 92 (pilot schemes);
section 102 (local pharmaceutical services schemes);
a “private clinic” (“clinig preifat”) means a clinic which is not a national health service clinic;
a “private clinical consultation” (“ymgynghoriad clinigol preifat”) means a private health provision interaction between one or more individuals and a person;
“private health provision” (“darpariaeth iechyd breifat”) means the provision of health services not as part of the national health service to an individual and includes the assessment, diagnosis or treatment of that individual; and
a “private hospital” (“ysbyty preifat”) means a hospital which is not a national health service hospital.
(5) Subject to paragraphs (7), (8), (9) and (10), in these Regulations—
(6) Nothing in these Regulations requires a body to comply with a standard in relation to an activity carried out by it or a service provided by it where it is carrying out that activity or providing that service on behalf of a third party under arrangements made between it and the third party, except in relation to—
(a)a clinical consultation,
(b)a case conference, or
(c)an in-patient (when the in-patient is not attending a clinical consultation).
(7) Nothing in these Regulations requires a body to comply with a standard in relation to an activity carried out on its behalf or a service provided on its behalf by a third party under arrangements made between it and the third party in relation to—
(8) Nothing in these Regulations requires a body to comply with a standard in relation to an activity carried out by it or a service provided by it where that activity is carried out or that service is provided on its behalf—
(a)in a private hospital or private clinic in Wales,
(b)on a private ward in a hospital in Wales, or
(c)in a hospital or clinic located outside of Wales.
(9) Nothing in these Regulations requires a body to comply with a standard in relation to an activity carried out by it or a service provided by it where that activity is carried out or that service is provided on its behalf by a primary care provider.
(10) Nothing in these Regulations requires a body to comply with a standard in relation to an activity carried out by it or a service provided by it where the activity carried out or the service provided on its behalf is a care home service.
(a)Part 1 specifies standards that deal with matters which are supplementary to the matters dealt with in the standards specified in Schedules 1 to 4;
(b)Part 2 makes provision about interpreting the supplementary standards.
Amendment of Welsh Language Standards (No. 4) Regulations 2016
4.—(1) In regulation 3 of the Welsh Language Standards (No. 4) Regulations 2016 (“the No. 4 Regulations”)(5) for paragraph (2) substitute—
“(2) But the Commissioner is not authorised to give a compliance notice to—
(a)the Agricultural Land Tribunal (Wales), the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales, the Residential Property Tribunal Wales and the Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales requiring them to comply with the following standards—
(i)92 to 139,
(ii)144 to 148,
(b)Social Care Wales(6) requiring it to comply with standard 60.”
(2) In Schedule 6 to the No. 4 Regulations in the appropriate place insert—
“Social Care Wales (“Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru”)”.
SCHEDULE 1Service Delivery Standards
Standard 15 and
(9) Meetings with more than one person
Standard 22A
Standard 22B
Standard 22C
Standard 22CH
(10) Meetings with more than one person
Standard 22A, 22B, 22C or 22CH Standard 22
(11) In-patients
Standard 23 Standard 23A
(12) In-patients
Standard 23A Standard 23
(13) Public meetings
(15) Documents and forms
Standard 36 or 37 Standard 38
(16) Websites
Standard 39, 40 or 41 Standard 42
(17) Signs and notices
Standard 47 or 48 Standard 49
(18) Reception
Standard 51 Standard 52
(20) Raising awareness of Welsh-language services in a reception
(21) Grants
Standard 55 Standard 56
(22) Contracts
Standard 58 Standard 59
The standards only apply to the extent that a body—
(a) delivers services to a person, or
(b) deals with any other person in connection with delivering services—
(i) to that other person, or
(ii) to a third person.
25 The standards do not apply to the extent that the activity carried out or the service provided relates to research.
26 A body is not required to produce, to display or to send material in Welsh to the extent that another enactment has specified the wording of a document, a sign or a form which would run contrary to that requirement.
For the purposes of the standards—
(a) a requirement to produce, to send, to publish, to display, to make available or to issue any written material in Welsh does not mean that the material should be produced, sent, published, displayed, made available or issued in Welsh only, nor does it mean that the material should be produced in Welsh first (unless that is specifically stated in the standard);
(b) a requirement to provide a service in Welsh does not mean that that service should only be provided in Welsh (unless that is specifically stated in the standard).
(3) A body must use the Welsh version of text A if another person has produced text A in Welsh in accordance with—
(a) its Welsh Language Scheme;
(b) a duty to comply with standards;
(c) Standing Orders of the Assembly;
(ch) section 35(1C) of the 2006 Act; or
(d) the Assembly Commission’s Official Languages Scheme.
(a) “Welsh Language Scheme” means a Welsh language scheme produced in accordance with Part 2 of the Welsh Language Act 1993(7);
(b) “a duty to comply with standards” means a duty to comply with a standard under section 25 of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011;
(c) “the 2006 Act” means the Government of Wales Act 2006(8);
(ch) “Standing Orders of the Assembly” means standing orders made under section 31 of the 2006 Act;
(d) “the Assembly Commission’s Official Languages Scheme” means the Scheme adopted and published under paragraph 8 of Schedule 2 to the 2006 Act.
(a)the conditions in paragraphs (i) to (iii) are met, or
(b)the condition in sub-paragraph (2) is met,
a person or body listed in Schedule 1 to the Civil Contingencies Act 2004(9) (“the 2004 Act”) is not required to comply with any of the standards in respect of an activity or a service referred to in paragraph (ii)—
(i)the first condition is that an emergency has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur;
(ii)the second condition is that the activity being carried out or the service being provided by the person or body is necessary for the purpose of preventing, controlling or mitigating an aspect or effect of an emergency; and
(iii)the third condition is that the need for the activity or the service referred to in paragraph (ii) is urgent.
(3) In this paragraph, “emergency” has the same meaning given to it in section 1 of the 2004 Act subject to sub-paragraph (4).
(4) If the condition in sub-paragraph (2) is met, then the reference to “an emergency” in sub-paragraph (1)(ii) is to be read as “the simulated emergency situation”.
(1) Where the emergency is not an emergency within the meaning of paragraph 29, and—
a body is not required to comply with any of the standards in respect of an activity or a service referred to in paragraph (ii)—
(ii)the second condition is that the activity being carried out or the service being provided by the body is necessary for the purpose of preventing, controlling or mitigating an aspect or effect of an emergency; and
(iii)the third condition is that the need for the activity or the service referred to in paragraph (ii) is urgent and it is occurring outside of a hospital building.
(2) The condition is that the body is undertaking an emergency drill.
(3) If the condition in sub-paragraph (2) is met, then the reference to “an emergency” in sub-paragraph (1)(ii) is to be read as “the simulated emergency”.
(1) Where a body is responding to the notification of a suspected disease, infection, causative agent or contamination within the meaning of the Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984(10)(“the 1984 Act”) or any regulations made under the 1984 Act, and—
(a)the conditions in paragraphs (i) and (ii) are met, or
(i)the first condition is that a proper officer (within the meaning of the 1984 Act) determines that the case is urgent; and
(ii)the second condition is that the activity being carried out or the service being provided by the body is necessary for the purpose of preventing, controlling or mitigating an aspect or effect of a disease, infection, contamination or the causative agent.
(2) The condition is that the body is undertaking a drill.
(3) If the condition in sub-paragraph (2) is met, then the reference to “a disease, infection, contamination or causative agent” in sub-paragraph (1)(ii) is to be read as “the simulated disease, infection, contamination or causative agent”.
32 For the purposes of standards 2, 3 and 19, a body corresponds with an individual or makes a telephone call to an individual for the first time when it corresponds or makes a telephone call for the first time after the date on which a compliance notice has required the body to comply with the standard.
33 Standards 1 to 5 do not apply to correspondence which contains the report of a clinical consultation (including, for example, test results).
34 Standards 4 and 5 do not apply to correspondence between a body and a person (who is not an individual) about one or more individuals.
Standards 8 to 10 and 13 to 16 do not apply to calls made to the following telephone numbers—
36 Standard 19 does not apply to the extent that the activity carried out or the service provided relates to a primary care service.
37 In standard 20 an “automated” telephone system means a system that answers telephone calls and guides persons through a set procedure with a recorded message which, for example, asks a person to press different keys in order to choose different options.
(1) The standards in sub-paragraph (2) do not apply to a meeting between the body and one or more persons to discuss the assessment, diagnosis or treatment of one or more named individuals and none of those individuals are present at that meeting.
(2) The standards referred to in sub-paragraph (1) are—
(a)standards 8 to 20 (telephone calls);
(b)standards 21 to 22CH (meetings);
(c)standards 26 to 30 (meetings open to the public);
(ch)standard 32 (public events);
(d)standards 39 to 44 (websites and online services);
(dd)standards 45 and 46 (social media).
(1) The standards in sub-paragraph (2) do not apply to a clinical consultation or a case conference (see standards 23 to 24 for in-patients and standard 25 for case conferences).
In standard 25—
a “working day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day which is a bank holiday within the meaning of section 1 of the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 or other public holiday;
a “working day” does not include the day on which the invitation was sent.
seminars or oral presentations relating to the performance or production; or
42 Standards 32 and 64 do not apply when the message that you announce over a public address system is made during an emergency or an emergency drill.
Where a standard refers to material that is to be produced in Welsh (with the exception of standards 39 to 44 (websites and apps), 45 and 46 (social media) and 57 (invitations to tender)), references to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language, or to treating a Welsh language version no less favourably than an English language version, include, amongst other matters (and in addition to specific matters referred to in any individual standard), treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards—
when and how the material is published, provided or exhibited; or
the publication format of the material.
For the purposes of standard 37 references to documents or other materials being available to one or more individuals do not include documents or materials that are only available to individuals by virtue of the Freedom of Information Act 2000(11).
(1) Standards 36 and 38 do not apply to the forms listed in sub-paragraph (3).
(3) The forms are—
(a)forms used by a body to recruit employees (see standards 107A and 108 in relation to recruitment);
(b)forms used when applying for grant assistance from a body (see standards 54 to 56 in relation to applications for grants); and
(c)forms used when submitting a tender to enter into a contract with a body (see standards 57 to 59 in relation to tendering for a contract).
Standards 36 to 38 do not apply—
to an enactment made by a body or to a draft enactment prepared by a body;
to any advertising material contained in a document;
to rules specified in an enactment or in a draft enactment prepared by a body; or
when a form or document produced by the body provides information in relation to a named individual.
Standards 39 to 43 (websites) do not apply to—
documents to which a link is provided on a website, advertising material on a website, or to video and audio clips on a website (see standards 36 to 38 for specific provision in relation to documents, and standard 33 in relation to advertising material produced by a body);
information presented by persons (other than the body) on an interactive page published on a body’s website (for example on a section for comments or on a discussion forum); or
a webpage which contains the report of a clinical consultation (including, for example, test results).
(1) For the purpose of standard 44 an ‘app’ is a software application designed to undertake a specific task on an electronic device.
(2) Standard 44 does not apply to any advertising material on an app (see standard 33 in relation to advertising material produced by a body).
For the purpose of standards 39 to 41 (websites), 44 (apps) and 45 (social media), references to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language include, amongst other matters (and in addition to specific matters referred to in any individual standard), treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards—
(1) Standards 1 to 7 (correspondence) do not apply to correspondence sent by social media (see standards 45 and 46 in relation to social media).
(2) Standards 39 to 44 (websites and apps) do not apply to social media (see standards 45 and 46 in relation to social media).
Standards 45 and 46 (social media) do not apply to—
documents to which a link is provided through social media, or to video and audio clips provided through social media (see standards 36 to 38 for specific provision in relation to documents, and standard 33 in relation to advertising material produced by a body);
information presented by persons (other than the body) on a body’s social media account (for example on a section for comments); or
information sent by social media which contains the report of a clinical consultation (including, for example, test results).
For the purposes of standards 50 to 53 (receiving visitors)—
(a)“reception” means an area in a body’s hospitals, offices and service locations where staff’s main role is to welcome persons; and
(b)“reception service” means a service for welcoming persons to the body’s hospitals, offices or service locations by staff whose main role is for that purpose.
53 For the purposes of standards 7 and 47 to 49 a “notice” means any notice that a body publishes, but it does not include notices prescribed by an enactment.
For the purposes of standard 57 (invitation to tender)—
a body is not required to publish an invitation to tender in Welsh in the Official Journal of the European Union;
a reference to treating a Welsh language version no less favourably than an English language version includes, amongst other matters, treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards—
the publication format of material;
(1) For the purposes of standard 62, the reference to a body forming or presenting its “corporate identity” includes, amongst other things, the way a body presents itself by means of visual statements, the name or names used by a body, and a body’s branding and slogans (for example, branding and slogans printed on its stationery).
(2) Standard 62 does not apply to the extent that an enactment requires a body to use a legal name.
For the purposes of standard 63 (courses), an “education course” means any seminar, training, workshop or similar provision which is provided in order to educate or to improve the skills of individuals; but does not include—
an education course that prepares a participant for a qualification or an exam;
an education course where the majority of participants are undertaking the course as part of their professional development;
an education course where the majority of participants will be members of staff; or
an education course for which a fee is paid.
For the purposes of the standards “enactment” means an enactment (whenever enacted or made) comprised in, or in an instrument made under—
SCHEDULE 3Operational standards
1 Standards relating to the use of the Welsh language within a body’s internal administration
Standard 79: You must develop a policy on using Welsh internally for the purpose of promoting and facilitating the use of the language, and you must publish that policy on your intranet.
Standard 80: When you offer a new post to an individual, you must ask that individual whether he or she wishes for the contract of employment or contract for services to be provided in Welsh; and if that is the individual’s wish you must provide the contract in Welsh.
Standard 81:
You must ask each employee (“A”) whether A wishes to receive any of the following in Welsh, and if A wishes to receive one or more in Welsh you must provide it (or them) to A in Welsh—
any paper correspondence that relates to A’s employment, and which is addressed to A;
any documents that outline A’s training needs or requirements;
any documents that outline A’s performance objectives;
any documents that outline or record A’s career plan;
any forms that record and authorise annual leave;
any forms that record and authorise absences from work;
any forms that record and authorise flexible working hours.
Standard 82:
If you publish any of the following, you must publish it in Welsh—
a policy relating to behaviour in the workplace;
a policy relating to health and well-being at work;
a policy relating to salaries or workplace benefits;
a policy relating to performance management;
a policy relating to absence from work;
a policy relating to working conditions;
a policy relating to work patterns.
2 Standards relating to complaints made by a member of a body’s staff
Standard 83:
You must allow and state in any document that you have that sets out your procedures for making complaints that each member of staff may—
make a complaint to you in Welsh, and
respond to a complaint made about him or about her in Welsh;
and you must also inform each member of staff of that right.
Standard 84:
If you receive a complaint from a member of staff or a complaint about a member of staff, and a meeting is required with that member of staff, you must—
offer to conduct the meeting in Welsh or, if necessary, provide a translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose; and
if the member of staff wishes for the meeting to be conducted in Welsh, conduct the meeting in Welsh or, if necessary, with the assistance of a simultaneous or consecutive translation service from Welsh to English.
Standard 85:
When you inform a member of staff (“A”) of a decision you have reached in relation to a complaint made by A, or in relation to a complaint made about A, you must do so in Welsh if A—
made the complaint in Welsh,
responded in Welsh to a complaint about A,
asked for a meeting about the complaint to be conducted in Welsh, or
asked to use the Welsh language at a meeting about the complaint.
3 Standards relating to a body disciplining staff
Standard 86:
allow and state in any document that you have which sets out your arrangements for disciplining staff that any member of staff may respond in Welsh to any allegations made against him or against her, and
if you commence a disciplinary procedure in relation to a member of staff, inform that member of staff of that right.
Standard 87:
If you organise a meeting with a member of staff regarding a disciplinary matter that relates to his or to her conduct you must—
if the member of staff wishes for the meeting to be conducted in Welsh, conduct the meeting in Welsh, or if necessary with the assistance of a simultaneous or consecutive translation service from Welsh to English.
Standard 88:
When you inform a member of staff (“A”) of a decision you have reached following a disciplinary procedure, you must do so in Welsh if A—
responded to allegations made against A in Welsh,
asked for a meeting regarding the disciplinary procedure to be conducted in Welsh, or
asked to use the Welsh language at a meeting regarding the disciplinary procedure.
4 Standards relating to a body’s information technology and about support material provided by a body, and relating to the intranet
Standard 89: You must provide staff with computer software for checking spelling and grammar in Welsh, and provide Welsh language interfaces for software (where an interface exists).
the text of each page of your intranet is available in Welsh,
every Welsh language page on your intranet is fully functional, and
the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language on your intranet.
Standard 91:
the text of the homepage of your intranet is available in Welsh,
any Welsh language text on your intranet’s homepage (or, where relevant, your Welsh language intranet homepage) is fully functional, and
the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language in relation to the homepage of your intranet.
Standard 92:
You must ensure that each time you publish a new intranet page or amend a page—
the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language in relation to the text of that page.
Standard 93: If you have a Welsh language page on your intranet that corresponds to an English language page, you must state clearly on the English language page that the page is also available in Welsh, and must provide a direct link to the Welsh language page on the corresponding English language page.
Standard 94: You must designate and maintain a page (or pages) on your intranet which provides services and support material to promote the Welsh language and to assist your staff to use the Welsh language.
Standard 95: You must provide the interface and menus on your intranet pages in Welsh.
5 Standards relating to a body developing Welsh language skills through planning and training its workforce
Standard 96: You must assess the Welsh language skills of your employees.
You must provide opportunities for training in Welsh in the following areas, if you provide such training in English—
recruitment and interviewing;
dealing with the public; and
You must provide opportunities for training in Welsh on using Welsh effectively in—
complaints and disciplinary procedures.
You must provide opportunities during working hours—
for your employees to receive basic Welsh language lessons, and
for employees who manage others to receive training on using the Welsh language in their role as managers.
Standard 100: You must provide opportunities for employees who have completed basic Welsh language training to receive further training, free of charge, to develop their language skills.
Standard 101: You must provide opportunities for employees to receive training, free of charge, to improve their Welsh language skills.
You must provide training courses so that your employees can develop—
awareness of the Welsh language (including awareness of its history and its role in Welsh culture);
an understanding of the duty to operate in accordance with the Welsh language standards; and
Standard 103: When you provide information to new employees (for example by means of an induction process), you must provide information for the purpose of raising their awareness of the Welsh language.
You must provide—
wording or a logo for your staff to include in e-mail signatures which will enable them to indicate whether they speak Welsh fluently or whether they are learning the language, and
wording for your employees which will enable them to include a Welsh language version of their contact details in e-mail messages, and to provide a Welsh language version of any message which informs others that they are unavailable to respond to e-mail messages.
Standard 105:
make available to members of staff who are able to speak Welsh a badge for them to wear to convey that; and
promote the wearing of the badge to members of staff.
6 Standards relating to a body recruiting and appointing
Standard 106:
When you assess the requirements for a new or vacant post, you must assess the need for Welsh language skills, and categorise it as a post where one or more of the following apply—
Welsh language skills are essential;
Welsh language skills need to be learnt when appointed to the post;
Welsh language skills are desirable; or
Standard 106A:
If you have categorised a post as one where Welsh language skills are essential, desirable or need to be learnt you must—
advertise the post in Welsh.
Standard 107: When you advertise a post, you must state that applications may be submitted in Welsh, and that an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Standard 107A:
If you publish—
material that explains your procedure for applying for posts;
information about your interview process, or about other assessment methods when applying for posts; or
you must publish them in Welsh; and you must ensure that the Welsh language versions of the documents are treated no less favourably than any English language versions of those documents.
Standard 107B: You must not treat an application for a post made in Welsh less favourably than you treat an application made in English (including, amongst other matters, in relation to the closing date you set for receiving applications and in relation to any timescale for informing applicants of decisions).
Standard 108: You must ensure that your application forms for posts provide a space for applicants to indicate that they wish an interview or other method of assessment in Welsh and if an applicant so wishes, you must conduct any interview or other method of assessment in Welsh, or, if necessary, provide a simultaneous or consecutive translation service from Welsh to English for that purpose.
Standard 109: When you inform an applicant of your decision in relation to an application for a post, you must do so in Welsh if the application was made in Welsh.
7 Standards relating to a plan dealing with offering to carry out clinical consultations in Welsh
You must publish a plan for each 5 year period setting out—
the extent to which you are able to offer to carry out a clinical consultation in Welsh;
the actions you intend to take to increase your ability to offer to carry out a clinical consultation in Welsh;
a timetable for the actions that you have detailed in (b).
Standard 110A:
Three years after publishing a plan in accordance with standard 110, and at the end of a plan’s 5 year period you must—
assess the extent to which you have complied with the plan; and
publish that assessment within 6 months.
8 Standards relating to signs and notices displayed or published in a body’s workplace
Standard 111:
erect a new sign or renew a sign in your workplace (including temporary signs),or
publish or display a notice in your workplace;
any text displayed on the sign or notice must be displayed in Welsh (whether on the same sign or notice as the corresponding English language text or on a separate sign or notice), and if the same text is displayed in Welsh and in English, you must not treat the Welsh language text less favourably than the English language text.
Standard 112:
erect a new sign or renew a sign in your workplace (including temporary signs); or
Standard 113: You must ensure that the Welsh language text on signs and notices displayed in your workplace is accurate in terms of meaning and expression.
9 Standard relating to audio announcements and messages in a body’s workplace
Standard 114: When you make a recorded announcement in the workplace using audio equipment, that announcement must be made in Welsh, and if the announcement is made in Welsh and in English, the announcement must be made in Welsh first.
10 When a compliance notice requires a body to comply with one of the standards listed on a specific row in column 1 of Table 1, that compliance notice must also require that body to comply (in whatever way the Welsh Language Commissioner considers appropriate) with the standard or standards listed in column 2 of that row.
(1) Intranet Standard 93
Standards 90, 91 or 92
(2) Recruiting and appointing Standard 106A
(3) Recruiting and appointing
Standard 107A
Standard 107B
(4) Plan relating to clinical consultations Standard 110A
(5) Plan relating to clinical consultations Standard 110
Standard 110A
(6) Internal signs and notices Standard 113
11 The standards specified in Part 1 of this Schedule must be interpreted as follows.
(a)“Welsh Language Scheme” means a Welsh language scheme produced in accordance with Part 2 of the Welsh Language Act 1993(12);
(c)“the 2006 Act” means the Government of Wales Act 2006(13);
For the purposes of standards 90 to 92 (a body’s intranet), references to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language include, amongst other matters (and in addition to specific matters referred to in any individual standard), treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards—
the visual presentation of the material (for example in relation to the colour, size, font and format of any text); or
when material is published on the intranet;
but it does not mean that the Welsh language material must appear on the same page as the English language material, or on a page that is likely to open before the corresponding English language version of a page.
For the purposes of standards 107A (recruitment) and 111 (internal signs and notices), references to treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language includes, amongst other matters (and in addition to specific matters referred to in any individual standard), treating the Welsh language no less favourably as regards—
the visual presentation of the material (for example in relation to the colour or font of any text);
the position and prominence of the material in any public area;
when and how material is published, provided or exhibited; or
15 For the purposes of the standards a requirement to publish, provide or display any written material in Welsh does not mean that material should be published, provided or, displayed in Welsh only, nor does it mean that the material should be produced in Welsh first (unless that is specifically stated in the standard).
Standards 90 to 92 (intranet) do not apply to—
documents to which a link is provided on the intranet, advertising material on the intranet, or to video and audio clips on the intranet (see standard 82 for specific provision in relation to documents); or
information presented by persons on an interactive page published on a body’s intranet (for example on a section for comments or on a discussion forum).
For the purposes of standards 106 and 106A only—
“post” includes a public appointment;
“public appointment” means any appointment to a public body or public office.
18 For the purposes of standards 107 to 109 only “post” includes a voluntary post.
In standard 110 the “5 year period” means—
5 years beginning with the imposition date, and
each subsequent 5 year period.
20 In paragraph 19 the “imposition date” means the day from which a person is required to comply with standard 110 or to comply with it in a particular respect.
21 Standard 114 does not apply when the message that you announce over a public address system is made during an emergency or an emergency drill.
SCHEDULE 4Record Keeping Standards
1 Standards relating to a body keeping records
Standard 115: You must keep a record, in relation to each financial year, of the number of complaints you receive relating to your compliance with standards.
Standard 116: You must keep a record (following assessments of your employees’ Welsh language skills made in accordance with standard 96), of the number of employees who have Welsh language skills at the end of each financial year and, where you have that information, you must keep a record of the skill level of those employees.
Standard 117:
You must keep a record, in relation to each financial year, of the number of new and vacant posts which were categorised (in accordance with standard 106) as posts where—
2 The standards specified in Part 1 of this Schedule must be interpreted as follows.
3 For the purposes of standards 115, 116 and 117 “financial year” means the body’s own financial year.
SCHEDULE 5Standards which deal with Supplementary Matters
PART 1STANDARDS
1 A body publicising standards
Standard 118: You must ensure that a document which records the standards with which you are under a duty to comply, and the extent to which you are under a duty to comply with those standards, is available on your website.
2 A body publishing a complaints procedure
Standard 119:
ensure that you have a complaints procedure that deals with how you intend to deal with complaints relating to your compliance with the standards with which you are under a duty to comply, and
publish a document that records that procedure on your website.
3 A body producing an annual report regarding standards
Standard 120:
(1) You must produce a report (an “annual report”), in Welsh, in relation to each financial year, which deals with the way in which you have complied with the standards with which you were under a duty to comply during that year.
(2) The annual report must include the following information (where relevant, to the extent you are under a duty to comply with the standards referred to)—
(a)the number of complaints that you received during the year in question which related to compliance with the standards with which you were under a duty to comply (on the basis of the records you kept in accordance with standard 115);
(b)the number of employees who have Welsh language skills at the end of the year in question (on the basis of the records you kept in accordance with standard 116);
(c)the number (on the basis of the records you kept in accordance with standard 117) of new and vacant posts that you advertised during the year which were categorised as posts where—
(i)Welsh language skills were essential;
(ii)Welsh language skills needed to be learnt when appointed to the post;
(iii)Welsh language skills were desirable; or
(iv)Welsh language skills were not necessary.
(3) You must publish the annual report no later than 6 months following the end of the financial year to which the report relates.
(4) You must ensure that a current copy of your annual report is available on your website.
4 A body providing information to the Welsh Language Commissioner
Standard 121: You must provide the Welsh Language Commissioner (if requested by the Commissioner) with any information which relates to your compliance with the service delivery standards, the policy making standards or the operational standards with which you are under a duty to comply.
The Board of Community Health Councils in Wales (“Bwrdd Cynghorau Iechyd Cymuned Cymru”)
Community Health Councils (“Cynghorau Iechyd Cymuned”)
Local Health Boards (“Byrddau Iechyd Lleol”)
National Health Service Trusts in Wales (“Ymddiriedolaethau Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol yng Nghymru”)
The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (nawm 1) (“the 2011 Measure”) makes provision for the specification of standards of conduct in relation to the Welsh language (“standards”). These replace the system of Welsh language schemes provided for by the Welsh Language Act 1993 (c. 38).
Section 26 of the 2011 Measure enables the Welsh Ministers to specify standards, and section 39 enables them to provide that a standard is specifically applicable to a person by authorising the Welsh Language Commissioner (“the Commissioner”) to give a notice to that person requiring compliance with the standard (a “compliance notice”).
These Regulations specify standards in relation to the conduct of Local Health Boards, National Health Service Trusts in Wales, Community Health Councils and the Board of Community Health Councils in Wales (which are referred to in the Regulations as “bodies”).
The Regulations also authorise (subject to certain exceptions set out in regulation 3(2)) the Commissioner to give a compliance notice to those bodies, in relation to standards specified by the Regulations. In relation to Social Care Wales the Regulations authorise the Commissioner to give that body a compliance notice in relation to standards specified in the Welsh Language Standards (No. 4) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/405 (W. 125)).
In accordance with section 44 of the 2011 Measure, the Commissioner may (by way of a compliance notice) require a body to comply with one or more standards that are specifically applicable to it. To reflect that, the standards specified by the Regulations are expressed in the second person narrative, meaning that they are in “you must” form (where “you” means the relevant body in each case).
Using the flexibility provided by section 44 of the 2011 Measure the Commissioner may (if it is reasonable and proportionate, and the Commissioner wishes to do so) require a body to comply with one standard in some circumstances and another standard in other circumstances. For example, if a standard is specifically applicable to a body the Commissioner may require the body to comply with the standard in some circumstances but not others, or require it to comply with the standard only in some areas. Similarly if two or more standards relate to a specific conduct (for example, standards 8 to 10 in relation to answering telephone calls), the Commissioner may (by way of a compliance notice) require a body to comply with one of those standards only, or with different standards at different times, in different circumstances, or in different areas; as is appropriate for the body. The Commissioner is not, therefore, obliged to require every body to comply with every standard.
In accordance with section 46 of the 2011 Measure, the compliance notice given to a body must state the imposition day, or imposition days; meaning the day or days upon which the body becomes required to comply with a standard (or comply with a standard in a specific way). Using the flexibility provided for by section 46, the Commissioner may set an early imposition day for a body to comply with a standard (provided this is at least 6 months after the date on which the body was given the related compliance notice), or set an imposition day further in the future (for example in relation to more challenging standards).
The Regulations require a body to comply with the standards—
(a)whether it is carrying out the activity or providing the service; or
(b)whether it is carried out or it is provided on its behalf by a third party under arrangements made between them.
However, in the case of an individual attending a clinical consultation or a case conference, or an individual who is an in-patient, it is the standards that apply to the third party carrying out the activity or providing the service on behalf of the body that apply. This means, for example, that if Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board carries out or provides a case conference on behalf of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, then Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board’s standards would apply, not Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s standards. It also means that if an individual is an in-patient at Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board’s hospital on behalf of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, then Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board’s standards would apply, not Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s standards.
Where the third party is a primary care provider, or where the service provided or the activity carried out on the body’s behalf is provided or carried out in a private hospital or private clinic in Wales, a private ward in a hospital in Wales or a hospital or clinic outside of Wales, then no standards apply. No standards apply when the service provided or the activity carried out on the body’s behalf is a care home service.
Where a standard specified in these Regulations requires written material to be displayed or provided in Welsh, or for a service to be provided in Welsh, this does not mean that the material must be displayed or provided in Welsh only, or that the service must only be provided in Welsh (unless that is specifically stated).
Schedule 1 to the Regulations specifies service delivery standards. Section 28 of the 2011 Measure provides that a “service delivery standard’ means a standard that relates to a service delivery activity, and is intended to promote or facilitate the use of the Welsh language, or to work towards ensuring that the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language when that activity is carried out. A “service delivery activity” means a person delivering services to another person, or dealing with any other person in connection with delivering services to that other person, or to a third person.
Schedule 2 to the Regulations specifies policy making standards. Section 29 of the 2011 Measure provides that a “policy making standard” means a standard that relates to a policy decision, and is intended to secure, or to contribute to securing, that the person making the policy decision considers one or more of the following—
(a)what effects, if any, (whether positive or adverse) the policy decision would have on opportunities for persons to use the Welsh language, or on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language;
(b)how the decision could be made so that the decision has positive effects, or increased positive effects, on opportunities for persons to use the Welsh language, or on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language;
(c)how the decision could be made so that the decision does not have adverse effects, or has decreased adverse effects, on opportunities for other persons to use the Welsh language, or on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language.
Schedule 3 to the Regulations specifies operational standards. Section 30 of the 2011 Measure provides that an “operational standard” means a standard that relates to the functions, or a business or other undertaking (“relevant activities”) of a person (“A”), that is intended to promote or facilitate the use of the Welsh language—
(a)by A in carrying out A’s relevant activities,
(b)by A and another person in dealings between them in connection with A’s relevant activities, or
(c)by a person other than A in carrying out activities for the purposes of, or in connection with, A’s relevant activities.
Schedule 4 to the Regulations specifies record keeping standards. Section 32 of the 2011 Measure provides that a “record keeping standard” is a standard relating to the keeping of records about other specified standards, records about complaints concerning compliance with other specified standards, or records about other complaints concerning the Welsh language.
Schedule 5 to the Regulations specifies standards that deal with supplementary matters. These are supplementary to the matters dealt with in Schedules 1 to 4.
The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Welsh Language Unit, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.
See for example regulation 7 of the Community Health Councils (Constitution, Membership and Procedures)(Wales) Regulations 2010 ( S.I. 2010/288 (W. 37)) which relates to the appointment of members to Community Health Councils by voluntary organisations.
S.I. 2016/405 (W. 125).
See section 67 of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 (anaw 2) which continued the Care Council for Wales in existence, but renamed it as Social Care Wales.