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Original poster

Withdrawing consent

45 replies

Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 09:34

I’ll try to keep this brief.

I went into a&e a few weeks ago and there was a film crew there filming for a documentary. Someone came in to chat to me (no filming at this point just an introduction) and then asked if she could introduce me to another member of the crew. This person ended up having a camera and I didn’t feel like I could say no but felt uncomfortable with the whole thing. I asked a nurse to ask them not to bother me again (I was in quite a bit of pain and had been admitted onto the ward by this point) but they kept coming in and asking if they could film. I know I know, I should’ve said no to their faces but I didn’t feel like I could. I did ask the nurses on 4 different occasions to ask them to leave me alone and either the message didn’t get there or they ignored it.

anyway I ended up needing emergency surgery. They wanted to film things like an enema being done and me drinking gastrograffin, to which my DH told them a firm no. The pain really was horrendous at this point and just before I went into surgery someone came in and asked me to sign to give my consent for use of the footage to be aired. I admit I signed but honestly, I wasn’t thinking straight and again, know I should’ve said no at the time but they were so nice and asking about my kids etc that I felt so awful saying no.

DH ended up writing an email of complaint when they wanted to film my surgery and said if they contacted me again when I was trying to recover he’d take it further. However, I’m really regretting signing the consent form for everything pre surgery. I’ve texted them withdrawing my consent but haven’t had a response- can they still use the footage as I signed the consent form?

please don’t flame me for not having the guts to say no in person. I was in a lot of pain and felt very vulnerable and wasn’t thinking straight.

OP posts:
SockQueen · 21/02/2024 09:39

They certainly shouldn't use it. But as your DH has told them not to contact you further, it might be they're not responding to your message in order to respect that. I think you either need to speak to someone on the phone, or write an email making it clear that you DO want confirmation that your footage won't be used.

LakeTiticaca · 21/02/2024 09:43

You were very unwell and they should not have been pressuring you under the circumstances. Fire off a very steen email telling them you withdraw your consent

Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 09:44

Thank you @SockQueen , I’ve been so anxious about this. There’s nothing I’ve said or done in the footage, it’s more that a) I was in a lot of pain, hadn’t washed my hair for a few days and felt awful and I don’t want to be on tv like that, b) the things they were asking were quite personal and (I know this sounds silly), it felt like a chat at the time but in hindsight I don’t want my opinions on things aired on TV and c) I don’t want to be on TV at all anyway.

I’ll send them an email and see if they respond. I forgot to mention, after DH emailed, they didn’t ask me to interview again but someone called a few days ago to see how I was doing post op from the crew, so they aren’t adverse to contacting me.

thank you for taking the time to respond.

OP posts:
Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 09:46

Thank you @LakeTiticaca , I’ll email them. I ended up needing an emergency laparotomy with 20 staples in my stomach so a relatively large surgery and honestly, the pain was horrendous pre surgery. I’m quite angry in hindsight that they didn’t listen the first time I asked a nurse to tell them no, but appreciate I’m an adult and should’ve told them no myself.

OP posts:
Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 09:48

Will me withdrawing my consent override the fact that I signed the consent form does anyone know? Or could they turn around and say ‘well, you signed it so tough’? I don’t know if anyone has any knowledge in this area.

OP posts:
ChateauMargaux · 21/02/2024 09:56

Write one letter and send it recorded delivery and by email to teh producers, the hospital and PALS.

On X date, I was a patient in A&e and subsequently admitted for surgery. I was filmed by X company and I signed a consent form. I unequivocally withdraw my consent for any interview details or film footage of me to be used and request your immediate confirmation that you have recieved this instruction and will act on it.

On numberous ocassiins I asked the nurses to ask the film crew not to disturb me again but in the presence of the film crew I felt unable to decline. I was in hospital, in pain and not in a position to give free and informed consent.

If I do not receive a response within 7 days, I will take legal action.

Itscatsallthewaydown · 21/02/2024 09:57

Wow, how unprofessional and pushy of them to behave like that!

wheo · 21/02/2024 10:00

Why didn't you ask them when the crew called you to ask how you were?

JaneIves · 21/02/2024 10:02

Do you have details of the production company or TV show?

I am a paramedic, and frequently attend an ED which used to be used for filming 24hours in A&E.
We also were asked for our consent, which I used to give, until a particularly distressing job which would was aired but I withdrew my consent post filming and I was pixelated out, and my voice dubbed over (and obvious deletions of content of conversation)

Also take it up with the hospitals PALS department if the production company persist.

user1471505356 · 21/02/2024 10:10

Your initial written consent may not be valid given you were in distress at the time.

Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 10:17

@Itscatsallthewaydown I can’t really answer that because I don’t know. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a similar situation but when the film crew speak to you, they’re so friendly and talk about their own lives and ask you about yours and how your kids are etc, it then felt rude to me to bring that up. That’s how it escalated in the first place- a woman a similar age to me came in, didn’t mention filming at all but asked me about my kids, mentioned hers, talked about her life, found out about my illness etc, until I felt like I couldn’t then say no. It’s very hard to explain in hindsight. If someone had come in and just outright said ‘can we film you’, I’d have said no, but because they did it that way, I couldn’t, or felt like I couldn’t.

its the same with the phone call. She called and used my kids names and said they must have been excited to see me come home (they’re only young). The familiarity made me feel uncomfortable with mentioning it and I know that’s my assertiveness and I need to deal with it.

thank you all for being understanding and not judging me for not saying no to begin with, I so wish I had.

OP posts:
Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 10:21

@JaneIves yes, I know the channel and the name of the show that will be aired. The crew had filmed 24 hours in a&e before so I’m guessing similar to who you saw. whenever I saw them they were in blue scrubs so not immediately discernible from a nurse (unless they had the microphone and camera which not all of them had).

I don’t think I’d mind the pixelation so much as long as I wasn’t identifiable. They asked me questions around my religion etc and wanted to film me telling my kids I had to have an operation (I said no to that one as my eldest is 7 and was very upset) and some things I just don’t think I’d want aired in hindsight.

OP posts:
TeenLifeMum · 21/02/2024 10:22

Okay, this is my job in a hospital (would never be that pushy at all). You can withdraw consent at any point - email the communications team (should be on the hospital website or dm me here and I’ll find out the contact if in England) and let them know you wish to with draw and for all film content to be deleted. Say you were in a very vulnerable position and unhappy with how it was managed. They will understand and liaise with the film company. Hope you recover quickly.

TraitorsGate · 21/02/2024 10:25

As you know the channel and the show you can write to the legal department and the show producer too

Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 10:25

Thank you @TeenLifeMum , that’s so reassuring and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. I’ll send you a PM if that’s okay? They were filming for 3 weeks and have finished now and I can’t find info on the hospital website.

OP posts:
Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 10:26

@TraitorsGate I’ve tried googling but as the show isn’t due to air until next year, I can’t find very much at all about it and certainly no contact details

OP posts:
greenacrylicpaint · 21/02/2024 10:30

they didn't give you a copy of the signed consent form?

that would be another angle to complain about.

Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 10:33

@greenacrylicpaint no, it was done on an iPad and she took a picture of me, got me to sign digitally and that was it.

OP posts:
greenacrylicpaint · 21/02/2024 10:44

not even an email or text trail?
that's shocking Shock

Original poster
Goodeyedeer · 21/02/2024 10:51

@greenacrylicpaint no.. tbh I didn’t think anything of that side of things, it was the morning I found out I needed the surgery and I was in a fair amount of pain. It’s only now I’m home and recovering and had time to think about it that I’m so uncomfortable with it. Initially they wanted to interview me pre and post surgery, including the surgery itself, but DH sent the complaint email in the day before I found out I was having surgery so I didn’t end up hearing from them again in the hospital (apart from signing the consent form) after that. Again, in hindsight, it feels calculated that they asked me to sign the consent form after DH had emailed the complaint in. That’s why I’m worried I can’t withdraw consent after I’ve signed it.

OP posts:
Woodyandbuzz1 · 21/02/2024 11:05

Why is this even allowed to happen in the first place? Hospitals shouldn't allow them in.

Taking advantage of vulnerable and sick people for some mediocre tv is terrible.

Mariposistaaa · 21/02/2024 11:27

Was the show 24 hours in A&E?
I have always wondered how that works with consent when most people aren't in a fit state to give consent (and being on tv is probably the last thing they want!)

Seeingadistance · 21/02/2024 11:42

That’s awful. Certainly immoral if not illegal even to ask for consent in such circumstances, never mind push for it.

I’ve watched bits of these programmes when channnel-hopping and always wonder how the people involved feel about being shown when so vulnerable. I’ve wondered if they have been shown the footage before it’s broadcast and asked to confirm their consent, as they may respond very differently afterwards.

TraitorsGate · 21/02/2024 11:54

What tv channel is it.

TraitorsGate · 21/02/2024 11:59

Can you write to Ofcom and the hospital security department, clinical governance and ceo to say this invades patients privacy when they are most vulnerable and filming shouldn't be allowed

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