A total of 3,711 health professionals in Catalonia today begin the Catalan courses offered by the Government to improve their level. At the end of the free online training, you will receive a certificate and will be eligible to take an exam from the Department of Health to obtain an official qualification.
According to the department, 1,229 of those registered belong to the medical group, 753 to the nursing group, 581 are technical personnel of auxiliary nursing care, 478 are administration personnel, 540 have other health professions, 33 are social work professionals, 32 are guards and 65 are part of other groups.
The average age of the participants is 42 years and the majority (1,977 are studying the elementary level (B1) of Catalan language for health care. The call has been a success, according to the Minister of Health, Manel Balcells: “It is the “The most massive and most intense language policy of the Government in recent times to normalize the use and knowledge of the Catalan language in the health system.”
Professionals participate in groups of a maximum of 20 people at one of the three levels offered: elementary (B1), intermediate (B2) and proficiency (C1). The duration is 100 hours between authorized virtual self-training (60 hours) and virtual training with oral and conversation activities and practices.
In addition to the Department of Health, the program is promoted by those of Culture and Business and Work, the Consortium for Continuing Education of Catalonia and the Consortium for the Linguistic Standardization of Catalonia. This organization has developed specific and unique teaching materials for the health sector.
Balcells recalled that Catalan is essential to care for patients and for “the quality and safety of care.”
