Welsh NHS Confederation launches glossary to improve understanding of health and care terminology
19 May 2026
Governance
Social care
NHS architecture
Quality
Digital
Following the recent Senedd election and the significant number of newly elected Members of the Senedd (MSs) now taking up their roles, the Welsh NHS Confederation has today launched a new and comprehensive health and care glossary to support understanding of the complex terminology used across the health and social care sector in Wales.
Health and social care is a highly specialised environment, with a vast range of acronyms, technical terms and sector‑specific language used daily across the system. The new glossary has been developed in conjunction with NHS leaders in Wales and our Health and Wellbeing Alliance to provide clear, accessible explanations of the most commonly used terms and abbreviations across the sector. Its purpose is to help MSs quickly familiarise themselves with the language of health and care, enabling more informed scrutiny, discussion and decision‑making from the outset of the new parliamentary term.
The glossary aims to serve as a practical resource for a wide range of stakeholders who work with, or alongside, the health and social care system in Wales. This includes partner organisations from across the UK, third sector bodies, local government colleagues and others who may encounter sector‑specific terminology in their work.
Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said:
“All political parties told us that improving the health and care system is a key priority. With so many newly elected Members of the Senedd, we wanted to support them and provide a tool that helps them quickly get to grips with the language of health and social care.
The glossary brings together the most common terms and definitions used across the sector, supporting clearer communication and shared understanding from day one. Along with other materials we develop*, we hope it will be a useful reference for partners and stakeholders who regularly engage with the system and act as a basis to build further understanding of health and care in Wales.”
The glossary is available in both English and Welsh.
Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru yn lansio geirfa i wella dealltwriaeth o derminoleg iechyd a gofal
Yn dilyn etholiad diweddar y Senedd a'r nifer sylweddol o Aelodau newydd eu hethol o'r Senedd (ASau) sydd bellach yn ymgymryd â'u rolau, mae Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru heddiw wedi lansio geirfa iechyd a gofal newydd a chynhwysfawr. Bydd hyn yn cefnogi dealltwriaeth o'r derminoleg gymhleth a ddefnyddir ar draws y sector iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru.
Mae iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn amgylchedd arbenigol iawn, gydag ystod eang o acronymau, termau technegol a iaith benodol i sector a ddefnyddir yn ddyddiol ar draws y system. Mae'r rhestr o dermau newydd wedi'i datblygu ar y cyd ag arweinwyr GIG Cymru a'n Cynghrair Iechyd a Llesiant i roi esboniadau clir a hygyrch o'r termau a'r talfyriadau a ddefnyddir amlaf ar draws y sector. Ei bwrpas yw helpu ASau i ymgyfarwyddo'n gyflym ag iaith iechyd a gofal, a galluogi craffu, trafodaeth a gwneud penderfyniadau mwy gwybodus o ddechrau'r tymor seneddol newydd.
Nod y rhestr termau yw gwasanaethu fel adnodd ymarferol i ystod eang o randdeiliaid sy'n gweithio gyda, neu ochr yn ochr â’r system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru. Mae hyn yn cynnwys sefydliadau partner o bob cwr o'r DU, cyrff trydydd sector, cydweithwyr llywodraeth leol ac eraill a allai ddod ar draws derminoleg benodol i sector yn eu gwaith.
Dywedodd Darren Hughes, cyfarwyddwr Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru:
“Dywedodd pob plaid wleidyddol wrthym fod gwella’r system iechyd a gofal yn flaenoriaeth allweddol. Gyda chymaint o Aelodau newydd eu hethol i'r Senedd, roedden ni am eu cefnogi a darparu offeryn sy'n eu helpu i ddod i arfer yn gyflym ag iaith iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Mae'r rhestr termau yn dwyn ynghyd y termau a'r diffiniadau mwyaf cyffredin a ddefnyddir ar draws y sector, sy’n cefnogi cyfathrebu cliriach a dealltwriaeth a rennir o'r diwrnod cyntaf. Ynghyd â deunyddiau eraill a ddatblygwn*, rydym yn gobeithio y bydd yn gyfeirnod defnyddiol i bartneriaid a rhanddeiliaid sy'n ymgysylltu'n rheolaidd â'r system ac yn gweithredu fel sail i feithrin dealltwriaeth bellach o iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru.”