To think pregnant women shouldn't be filmed during scans without expressly giving consent?

[Greypaw]

It's come to light that cameras were installed in a maternity unit in Cambridge and women were filmed while having scans without explicitly having been told it was happening. It seems this was because the film company was making a documentary about stillbirths and were hoping to catch people at the moment of being told their baby had died. At that point they would be told they had been filmed and permission would be sought to use the footage.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/parents-horror-after-hospital-secretly-11606165

I understand it's important to raise awareness about stillbirth, but surely a note next to a camera isn't adequate when it comes to consenting to being filmed at a time you'd assumed would be private?

[Barbiesears]

That's awful :O

[Sirzy]

That’s awful and the reason for wanting to film makes it even worse.

And although it is awful for everyone it is even worse for those women who for religious reasons choose to cover up because they have had that choice removed.

[crisscrosscranky]

That's horrific. I don't need to SEE people being told such awful news to comprehend how absolutely awful it must be.

Your post title might want a trigger warning in on case it upsets someone who has been in that awful situation x

[FizzyGreenWater]

I hope this gets an absolute shedload of publicity. The Rosie should be ASHAMED.

[Allthetuppences]

Oh my god. That moment is awful for everyone in the room. I remember the complete change in demeanor from the sonographer. Actual anguish crossed her face.

[MyKingdomForBrie]

Jesus that’s horrendous.

[Greypaw]

Good point, @crisscrosscranky, I'll message MHQ.

It's mostly in local news today, but seems to be popping up in national news now.

[Wolfiefan]

That's horrendous. I had a mmc. Can't imagine them saying "oh BTW we have footage of your face. Can we put it on TV and would you like a copy?"
I don't think stillbirth should be a complete taboo and it may have made for an interesting and informative programme. Would I want to watch it if they showed people being told that news? No. What purpose could it possibly serve? It's just exploiting their pain for "entertainment"
Shocking.

[PinkyBlunder]

But yet it says several times in the article both in the statement from the hospital and in the notices in full view, that no one will be filmed without their permission. So I’m not sure what the problem is. Have I missed something there?

[Greypaw]

The local news here has interviews with a few mums who said they weren't told about filming, but some said they saw a small notice in the scan room. They said the staff had been told not to mention the cameras, but to only answer questions if asked.

[FizzyGreenWater]

Just so, so disgusting.

I mean how on earth could you? To be that producer/assistant who gets the call - 'Ooh goody, some footage' - ?? Fucking hell. Of course it's not like that but how on earth would they expect people to view this?

I would expect (and hope, actually) that the following 'permission being sought' scene would be punctuated by a stream of FUCK OFFs as the poor parents were told that in addition to having gone through that, they'd actually been filmed and the footage viewed for suitability by an eager little media bunny keen to get some copy.

Nobody needs to see that kind of moment in order to understand stillbirth. No one CAN understand beyond the factual unless they've gone through it. I would never presume to understand and seeing some fucking voyeuristic shite shoehorned in would only make me despise the programme and dilute any message it hoped to send.

Fucking twats.

[Greypaw]

Head of the hospital talking about the consent issue here at 17.28 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05m9h6m

[PinkyBlunder]

So the issue is of consent. We’re people actually filmed without their permission or not? It’s not clear from the article.

[MrMeSeeks]

Thats Awful!!!
Some people may not notice the signs/ be able to read/ may not be able to read english.

[vestedintern]

Seems to me (not a lawyer) that you'd have a "reasonable expectation of privacy" in a medical consulting room (particularly one where you partly undressed) and as such to film in there without consent would be a criminal offence.

Even by the shabby morals of TV production co's this seems a bit wild.

[PinkyBlunder]

‘No Mums or visitors will be filmed without permission’

It goes on to say that if you are caught inadvertently on camera and nobody has sought your permission that you will be blurred out.

So nobody has been filmed without permission. Otherwise it’s no different from all the showers we watch such as 24 hours in A&E

[CaveMum]

That’s shocking! It’s my local maternity hospital too - DS was born there earlier this year and all my scans for him and DD took place there.

[SonicBoomBoom]

Relieved to hear nobody has been filmed. That would be beyond disgusting.

[mumisnotmyname]

I guess it depends if you have been filmed without being asked or if you are in a background shot unfocused or walk across screen without having given permission for this. They are very different things. As someone who spend a horrid half hour waiting for a second consultant scan after a nurse failed to see any sign of a viable pregnancy in the early stages I can't even imagine how grim it must be to have to be given the news that you are not going to have a live birth. The idea of filming this without clear informed consent is awful, if this has happened.

[ExPresidents]

That is absolutely horrific.

[LurkingHusband]

It is horrifying

But quite an imaginative way to make money for someone. And not the last we'll hear of.

[AcrossthePond55]

That's beyond horrid!!! And just a small easily missed 'notice' if I read correctly.

I frequently visit a place that often films its events for TV and background for shots in other programmes. There is a HUGE notice as you enter the area saying 'filming is taking place today, if you don't want to be filmed do not enter'. The same should have been placed in this facility.

[NooNooHead1981]

I'm utterly appalled this would even be allowed. I'm all for raising awareness of sensitive issues, but in the most sensitive and understanding way, and certainly not filming some of the worst moments of people's lives! How absoutely crass and horrible.

I can't imagine anything more upsetting to be honest. I am having my 12w scan in a couple of weeks, and if, heaven forbid, it is bad news I would be devastated and inconsolable that someone had chosen to make a film of me about it.

The producers should be bloody ashamed.

[Wellandtrulyoutnumbered]

Awful

[Greypaw]

The BBC has a picture of one of the signs used. The audio clip said the staff were not advised to tell people about the cameras, but to answer questions if asked.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-42154977