Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan has announced an advisory panel to monitor and scrutinise Welsh Government plans to improve the provision of Welsh language care in health and social care services.

The panel will have eight members, chaired by Elin Wyn and will work to ensure progress is made against the actions set-out in the five-year plan, More than just words, which was launched last year. Elin Wyn is an independent member of Bangor University Council.

Other members include Dr Alwena Morgan, senior lecturer in Biomedicine at Swansea University; Dona Lewis, chief executive of the National Centre for Learning Welsh; Dr Huw Dylan Owen, Gwynedd Council's director of social services; Dr Olwen Williams, consultant physician; Dr Rajan Madhok, non-Executive Director on the Board of Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a non-Executive Member with Llais (Citizen Voice Body), and a Council Governor with Coleg Cambria; Rhys Davies is vice chair of Anglesey County Council's Standards Committee; and Teresa Owen, executive director of Public Health at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Chair of the health board's Welsh Language Forum.

Eluned Morgan said: "The aim of our plan is to create a health and social care service in which people are actively offered their care in Welsh.

"Research has shown that being able to access services in Welsh can significantly improve people’s experience and, in many cases, improve their health and wellbeing outcomes. But it also showed people often found it difficult to access services in Welsh and were reluctant to ask when Welsh language services were not offered.

"The board I am announcing today have a wealth of experience and knowledge of the use of the Welsh language in health and social care services. They will make recommendations to me on areas where further progress could be made and if there are emerging concerns where ambition is not being met.

"We’ve already made significant progress in the first year of our plan, including introducing mandatory Welsh-awareness training for NHS staff and developed workforce planning guidance for Welsh language skills. Welsh language standards have been placed on health regulators and work has started to place tutors within health boards and trusts to create confident Welsh speakers.

"But there is much more to be done and I look forward to working with the board and receiving their first progress report later this year."