Cumbria County Council's Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel has launched a scrutiny into the digital switchover in the Copeland area and the mechanisms of help and support for older people.
The switchover in Whitehaven is the first in the UK and on 17th October BBC2 will be switched off and digital will run through this channel. All further analogue channels will be switched off on 18th November. The remainder of the Border Region will be switched to digital in 2008-09.
During the review, county councillors on the Scrutiny Panel will follow the switchover in Copeland and look at the schemes available to assist those who are elderly, disabled, blind or partially sighted.
Cumbria Care has already converted 5 residential homes and 3 day centres in the area so they're digital ready. The upgrade in the residential homes has cost on average £2,500 per home and has involved upgrading the aerial, installing 5 digiboxes in each home and pretuning the digiboxes to the five main channels so residents can flick through the channels on the same televisions they've always used.
Age Concern has also been working closely with older people in the Whitehaven area to offer advice and support.
Cllr Dave Clarke, Chair of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel, said:
"Switching to digital can be a daunting prospect if you're an older person. I know that in some of our care homes just putting a digibox on top of each TV simply would not work. Some residents have Alzheimers, others are bewildered by the range of buttons and choice offered on a digibox. Cumbria Care's homes have got round this issue, but we need to check that older people are coping with the switchover.
"Scrutiny will also be monitoring how disabled and blind people cope and what support is being given to them. Whitehaven is the first place in the country to switch over and it's important to make sure this has been handled well."
Cumbria Trading Standards have also stepped up vigilance in the area to check that companies offering aerial upgrades and digiboxes are not exploiting vulnerable consumers.
The Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel would greatly welcome any stories, both good and bad, about the preparation for the switchover and the switchover itself and anyone wishing to contact the Scrutiny Panel directly, should write, fax or e-mail to the address below:
Scrutiny Unit
Cumbria County Council
The Courts
Carlisle
CA3 8LZ
Fax: 01228 606727
E-mail: scrutiny@cumbriacc.gov.uk
ENDS
Media enquiries to Gareth Cosslett, News Manager on 01228 606332