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An investigation is underway after a complaint that a young girl was asked to stop speaking Welsh in hospital.

NHS bosses have apologised after Meleri Williams, 15, who suffers anxiety attacks, was asked by a doctor not to speak in her own language when talking to her mother Dorothy at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan.

Mrs Williams, of Dolwyddelan, said her daughter had initially been promised she could be treated in the emergency ward and would not have to go to the paediatric ward.

But then she got upset when, Dorothy said: “One of the first things the doctor said to her was that she would have to go to the paediatric ward for a blood test and ECG.

“Then all hell broke lose. Mel had an anxiety and panic attack and started shaking and crying. Although I’m used to it by now, it’s still frightening.”

Dorothy described a “stand off” between the doctor and her daughter – who wanted to go home. I was trying to console her which was almost impossible. The two of us were communicating in Welsh. Mel was crying and insisting that she wanted to go home.

“She was killing herself in tears. Then the doctor said: ‘I know you’re Welsh; I know you’re speaking Welsh, but can you stop it? If you continue to speak Welsh, I will have to take it as a personal offence.”

Dorothy said she was so taken aback that she could not immediately respond but her daughter told the doctor: “You shouldn’t have said that to us. I feel more comfortable talking to my mum in Welsh.”

Other nurses heard the commotion and then sat down with Mel to console her. She was told: “She shouldn’t have said that to you.”

(Image: Robert Parry Jones)

Mel did not have to go to paediatrics for treatment and was treated in the emergency ward instead.

Dorothy said: “Everybody were very kind. I can only praise them.”

It was only after being treated and returning home that Dorothy checked with her daughter what the doctor had said with Mel.

Dorothy said: “It was then I wrote on Facebook that I couldn’t believe a doctor had said that to us.

“Nobody would dare tell the French or any other nation to speak English. Medical staff should be taught that patients should be allowed to speak their own languages.

“She was insensitive. It was a difficult enough situation as it was without her comments – when you’re trying your best to console your child.”

Dorothy has complained to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUB) and the Welsh Language Commissioner’s office and both are investigating.

A BCUB spokesman said: “We can only apologise for this insensitive and unacceptable remark. As a health board we are fully committed to supporting the Welsh language – it is the first language of many of the people who use our services and we are disappointed to hear that such a comment has been made.

“Although not all of our staff are Welsh speaking, we endeavour to provide a bilingual service wherever possible and would expect colleagues to treat our patients with respect.”