Guidelines on the provision of television access services

The Code on Television Access Services requires that, in selecting and scheduling signed programmes, broadcasters should seek advice from disability groups about how best to maximise the benefits to those with hearing impairments.
When a series of programmes commences with access services, every effort should be made to ensure that all programmes in the series are accompanied by the relevant access services. If unforeseen problems prevent this, and a repeat is scheduled in the near future, a continuity announcement should be made (and subtitled) explaining when the repeat can be seen with the appropriate access services. An on-air apology should also be broadcast, preferably both before and after the programme. If this is not possible, because a technical fault does not come to light until after the programme has been broadcast, an apology should be broadcast at the beginning of the next programme in the series. Ofcom encourages broadcasters not to seek to fulfil their obligations by scheduling multiple repeats of programmes with access services, as this will detract from the benefit of providing access services to users.