top of page

Digital rant:

Moves to conduct most business, including that concerned with health and care, using computerised internet systems are divisive – and are preferentially disadvantageous and hazardous to older people, people with dementia or any condition limiting cognition, and the less well-off: Digitalisation of services and money is creating a two-tier society | Letters | The Guardian


Where health or social care go full throttle into the digital mode – with reliance on amps, complicated digital phones and such – it may look impressive – modern, quick and inexpensive once you have the equipment and can pay the rental – but it is designed for bright young people – whereas the need is amongst older, less well people – by definition.


There is realisation of the hazards of being lured along this track: Essential services websites in UK ‘should be accessible to all’ | Social exclusion | The Guardian


And the beginning of a fight back: Home - Digital Poverty Alliance


An example in the past week has been the proposal to close rail ticket offices – to streamline the service and save money: Boris Johnson backs plans to close ticket offices as fresh rail strike talks loom | Rail industry | The Guardian


But this will have a huge social cost: Why train stations need staffed ticket offices | Letters | The Guardian


It follows in line with the loss of many local post offices, banks and libraries. What these local facilities offer or offered is the presence of a human being who can listen and help people find what they need – partly important for the information which is passed, but also important for the social and wellbeing promotion which the interaction brings – for customer and the professional.


I am not a robot and do not wish to be dealt with as if I am. I am not attracted by Alexa, I will not pay for my shopping via a check-out machine. Human beings have their flaws – but we are human.







4 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

We heard that Tony Husband has died. The Manchester Evening News was quick with the story and posted a sensitive and caring report of the circumstances, together with a copy of Tony’s last cartoon

We were encouraged to go to see Michael Caine’s latest and last film: ‘The Great Escaper’. Michael Caine plays the part of Bernard Jordan – a man in his 90s, living in a care home in Hove with his te

bottom of page