Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will develop guidelines to govern the admission of television cameras to hospital wards; whether rules are in place to prevent patients being interviewed of filmed against their will and when their judgment may be impaired through either drugs or illness; and if he will make a statement.

The guidance for National Health Service organisations on filming on their premises is available at:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130107105354/http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4124371.pdf

Interest in the workings of the National Health Service reflects its importance to the public, but the interests of the patient remain paramount. The guidance therefore sets out the responsibilities of NHS organisations and gives advice for patients, relatives, carers and NHS staff. Consent for filming must be explicitly given by people for filming to take place. If consent cannot be given, for instance because of the patient’s condition, the guidance includes procedures to protect these patients’ well-being and right to privacy.