Filming and Photography
If you are an accredited member of the press or are looking to film for commercial reasons (including journalism and documentary), please click here for dedicated advice.
As a patient or visitor we want you to use your mobile device as it’s an important way of keeping in touch and making use of online resources like the NHS app. But we want to balance this with the right that other patient's, visitor's and our colleague's right to privacy. The use of the term "patient/s" on this page is intended to also encompass maternity service users.
The broadcast of live footage, via platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok or FaceTime is explicitly banned, unless formally approval has been obtained in advance by everyone who may appear in the broadcast. This may require authorisation from a senior member of staff so should you wish to undertake any live filming during your appointment or procedure you should contact your care team in advance. We will not unreasonably withhold permission, but reserve the right to impose stipulations on such activity in order to protect privacy, ensure that all care can be provided safely and that infection prevention and control measures are adhered to. If such permission is granted we reserve the absolute right to request the broadcast is stopped if, in the sole opinion of the care team, continuing to broadcast is detrimental to safe and effective patient care.
We may ask you to stop filming or take photos if, in our reasonable opinion, doing so is causing or could cause distress to patients, visitors or Whittington Health colleagues or a breach of confidentiality. If you continue to do so, you may be asked to leave by Trust security.
If you do obtain permission for filming and/or photography, please bear the following rules in mind at all times.
- Do not film or photograph patients, visitors, members of the public or members of staff who have not given their consent to be filmed or photographed.
- Obtain verbal consent from staff before filming or photographing them.
- Ensure that whoever you are filming or photographing understands what you intend to do with the film or photo and do not use it in any other way without obtaining further permission.
- Do not film or photograph, in a way that will identity others, patient records or any other patient information.
- Respect the wishes and requests of any patients or staff.
Guidance on the use of mobile devices by patients and service users
It’s important that when you use your mobile device in hospital you’re careful not to:
- Take anyone’s photo without permission, including staff or people in the background of your photos e.g. in busy waiting areas. It is important to remember that taking a photo or video could breach another patient’s privacy and cause them distress.
- Make video calls in a way that means the other person can see any other patients, visitors or staff members.
- Make calls or use your phone in a way that disturbs other patients.
- Use your mobile device around sensitive equipment where there is a particularly high risk of interference. Signs will make it clear that you shouldn’t use your phone in that area. Switch it off or enable ‘airplane mode’. Do not just leave the device on the silent or vibrate setting as it could still affect medical equipment.
The guidance above is reproduced from advice by NHS England: Use of mobile devices by patients in hospitals
Last updated19 Dec 2025