A new English and Gaelic identity for NHS Highland is to be rolled out “shortly”.
The health board is one of 57 Scottish organisations required to have a Gaelic plan aimed at supporting the language and making it “increasingly visible and audible”.
Around half of Scotland’s 87,000 Gaelic speakers are based in the region.
NHS Highland says digital versions of the new branding can be rolled out at no cost, while funding has been found to update signs at Raigmore Hospital and the Assynt House headquarters.
Why does NHS Highland need Gaelic branding?
A report going before the NHS Highland board next week says “many” of the other public bodies with Gaelic plans have already introduced bilingual logos.
This includes the police, Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
“In this respect, NHS Highland has been lagging behind,” the report says.
As well as serving a large number of Gaelic speakers locally, many patients from the language’s Western Isles “stronghold” also travel over for treatment.
The board says the change will show people they are “entitled” to use Gaelic, and that it’s being equally respected as English.
We also reported some other ways NHS Highland was considering boosting Gaelic use in November.
This included the development of specific hospital radio shows and the introduction of a dedicated Instagram page.
What do staff make of the change?
Previously there were concerns about the potential cost of these changes.
Staff were worried that money was being spent on a Gaelic plan instead of “so many other priorities and challenges”.
It’s since been confirmed that the digital switchover won’t cost the health board a penny, while Bord na Gaidhlig is funding the new signs.
NHS Highland is currently offering language classes for around 20 staff, with plans to expand this in years to come.
“The positive uptake of our most recent Gaelic language class activity confirms that there is a real willingness on the part of staff to learn the language,” the report says.
What will the logo look like?
After approving the move at its meeting in November, NHS Scotland and the health secretary both gave the move the green light.
The new logo is expected to look similar to NHS Western Isles’. It features the NHS logo prominently, with its names in Gaelic and English underneath.
Board papers say the new logo will be rolled out “as soon as” the approved designs have been received.
Conversation