Glyndŵr University Research Study on Compassion and Social Prescribing

29 May 2023

Some of the RHOI LLAIS volunteers who came to give their opinion on the new Glossary of terms for Social Prescribing, Bangor University, 26/05/2023. Dr Llinos Haf Spencer, Public Involvement Lead and Professor Carolyn Wallace, Director of WSSPR facilitated the event.

Photo source: Dr Llinos Haf Spencer.

Welsh speaking RHOI LLAIS patient and public involvement members were part of a stakeholder group which gathered at Bangor University on Friday 26th May 2023 to discuss the Welsh version of the Social Prescribing Glossary of Terms.

The glossary was produced firstly in English by Dr Simon Newstead, Amber Pringle, Bethan Jenkins, Dr Amrita Jesurasa and Professor Carolyn Wallace, and translated into Welsh by Public Health Wales.

Public members were joined by staff members from the School of Medical and Health Sciences and a great discussion was held with facilitation from Dr Llinos Haf Spencer, Public Involvement Lead and Professor Carolyn Wallace, one of the co-authors of the glossary. Some of the Welsh terms will be changed following discussion.

For example: ‘Prescripsiynu Cymdeithasol’ is not used by Welsh speakers, and ‘Atgyfeirio Cymdeithasol’ is more suitable, simple, and understandable to convey the meaning of what it is to a wide audience.

Prescription was felt to be too medical. ‘Rhagnodi’ is the dictionary word for ‘giving a prescription’ but this is not used in spoken Welsh, and although Welsh speakers say ‘prescripsiwn’ for ‘prescription’ the word ‘prescription’ has very medical connotations and does not convey the process of ‘social’ prescribing.

At least 41 terms in the glossary will be changed following the discussion held at Bangor University. A further consultation was held in Venue Cymru, Llandudno on 6th July 2023.