Withdrawing consent

[Goodeyedeer]

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.

@TraitorsGate it was channel 4

@Mariposistaaa no but the crew who filmed me had filmed 24 hours in a&e previously

@Woodyandbuzz1 i agree, but I’m guessing there’s people who wouldn’t mind. The nurses were complaining about it too- they were being asked to redo things for the camera; eg I needed an ng tube in and she came to tell me, but as they weren’t around when she came to tell me, they asked her to re tell me. Which, considering how rushed off their feet they are, is awful.

@TraitorsGate i did wonder the reason behind them allowing things like this to be done. @TeenLifeMum has been so helpful and found the contact details for who I need so thank you so much, I’ve been fretting about this for a while.

I got a couple of messages like this from them during my stay too, which I didn’t reply to (this one was about the gastrograffin I had to drink). At the time I was in too much pain to think about texting anyone other than family!

Drinking a laxative, omg, it's not a joke for entertainment or maybe it is. They do have a contact us page but it sounds like someone has already given you that. Do you get paid for appearing? It's such an intrusion.

@TraitorsGate no, no payment. I don’t think channel 4 are the right people to contact as it’s an independent filming company that then sell it to channel 4 (I think? I didn’t entirely understand when they were explaining it). None of the crew worked for channel 4

OMG that is really horendous carry on from them. Talk about getting someone when they are down and at their most vulnerable.

Teenlifegirl seems to know what she is talking about so follow her instructions to the letter.

Let me try and understand the point of the post, you were in A&E and were approached at various time by a production crew who wanted your consent to film you which you gave. You would then tell the nurses to tell the crew not to bother you.
You signed a consent form
Your partner was with you and told them not to film certain procedures
Now you have decided you don't want the footage to be shown.
I really don't understand and I would imagine the production crew don't either. Why did you not tell them that you didn't want to take part instead of leaving it to the nurses to do.
You can't blame others for not understanding your mixed messages.

If its 24hr in ae it looks like the production team is The Garden who could also be copied in. You have the name of the member of staff who texts you. It would be pretty shit of them and c4 to continue if you ask to be removed.

Probably because when you're feeling like shit, are at your most vulnerable, get hassled when you least expect it then you don't always make the right decision.

@ScierraDoll i completely understand. I went to a&e and was admitted. Someone came in but didn’t say they were from a film crew, in blue scrubs, asked me how I was feeling and then explained what she did. Still didn’t mention about specifically filming me. Asked if she could bring a colleague in to speak to me and (probably stupid on my part but remember I was in pain) I didn’t realise she meant to be filmed. At this point there were 3 people in my room, 1 with a microphone and 1 with a camera plus the original person. I didn’t feel comfortable saying anything at this point so went along with it. Then asked a nurse to tell them I didn’t want to be bothered again. They came in again the next day, but 3 different crew members this time and explained they’d spoken to the members from yesterday but didn’t acknowledge I’d said no more filming. Again, I didn’t feel comfortable and felt put on the spot and didn’t feel like I could say no. Spoke to the nurses 3 more times that day to ask them to leave me alone but they continued coming in. Remember, I was in pain, feeling vulnerable, had no one with me (DH was with the kids).

the day after, they came whilst DH was there with the kids, they’d come to see me. DH told them whilst there were there that I’d said no more filming, but they came back after he’d gone. I was in a hell of a lot of pain at this point and needed the ng tube. I spoke to a nurse and DH emailed a complaint in (don’t know whether this was done that day or the day before). The lady came in to get my consent and YES I know I shouldn’t have given my consent but they’d been so friendly and knew my kids names and were familiar to the point I didn’t feel I could say no. I know it looks easy on the outside to have just said no but for whatever reasons I didn’t. The next day I went in for surgery and didn’t hear from them again apart from a hi on the corridors, until I got home and one called to check how I was. I texted to withdraw my consent, I have no other contact details and heard nothing back, hence this post.

I understand they may be confused, however I was in so much pain and in such a vulnerable position. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but when you’re alone and in pain you aren’t exactly thinking straight. I don’t care if they’re confused, I just want to withdraw my consent and wanted to know if they could say ‘well tough, you’ve signed, you can’t withdraw now’.

Exactly @TraitorsGate . I was alone (I was in a private room until after the surgery), I was scared, I was in pain. I knew I didn’t want to do it but didn’t feel able to tell them directly, but did communicate it to the nurses numerous times. I understand my actions were confusing for them but I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been in that position can understand it fully.

@TeenLifeMum .. great that you are able to help.

@ScierraDoll .. using charm to obtain consent from people in vulnerable positions does not let them off the hook. We are programmed to be nice and say yes... it is very difficult when engaged in polite conversation to step out of that mode and think clearly about what you are consenting too, even more so when vulnerable, in pain and afraid and what you need most is a friendly reassuring face. Just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean the OP has to further explain herself.

@Goodeyedeer .. I suspect the strategy of the crew is to make people feel at ease so that they get consent. It must be a fine line between getting footage and getting throw out of A&E. I am sure a certain part of their strategy is to get lots of footage and lots of consent forms and to rely on at least some of those people not revoking their consent.

Who hasn't been in the situation where they have chatted to someone and ended up being talked into something they really didn't want..... too afraid of causing offence to say no.

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This!!
You need to contact them and be very clear you are withdrawing consent.

If you don’t get an answer from them, I’d contact Chanel 4. It might be them doing the filming but they will be the ones to air the program. They won’t want a situation where someone who has withdraw consent is still on TV.

You know that consent for that sort of thing is a bit like sex. You can withdraw your consent at any point, even if it looks strange to the other party.

Id gather that they actually know very well why the mixed messages and won’t be surprised. That’s what happens when you catch people in their most vulnerable time!

That's so exploitative. I hope you manage to withdraw your consent.

The absolute last thing you need when facing emergency surgery.

I think you should write a letter to the production company formerly withdrawing your consent, outlining that you were experiencing intense emotional and physical distress and that you were not in a position to give consent at the time. Then send it recorded delivery.

Yes, they may be fine about it, if not contact c4 and ofcom , there is clear guidance on ofcom code of conduct regarding vulnerable people. I think it's also worth copying in the hospital ceo and clinical governance,

I want to thank you all for your validation, it’s making me quite emotional. I was so worried about this because I felt so stupid not saying no to begin with and thought everyone would just say ‘well you should’ve said no, that’s your problem’. But for people to understand that I was vulnerable and not thinking clearly, that’s made feel so much better. I’ve sent an email, I’ll type up a letter tonight and send it recorded delivery tomorrow. I’m going through PALS for another matter related to my stay so I’ll include this in it too. I don’t think film crew should be allowed in places that have such vulnerable people in and, if they do, measures put in place to ensure they always feel comfortable. I was nil by mouth, comfort sips only, hadn’t eaten for 4 days at this point and was in a lot of pain.

thank you again, you’ve made me feel so much better.

Good for you. Don't forget that the NHS and the hospital have a duty of care to all their patients so your safety, wellbeing , dignity and health should always be the number 1 priority. From a infection point of view going into siderooms would be an issue for me too.

Could you contact them through 24hrs in A&E if there are contact details?

I think it is awful to get someone who is in such pain to sign a consent form, I wonder if you could argue that due to pain (and maybe drugs?) you did not have capacity to consent at that time?

I’d texted the number who texted me this morning and I’ve received this response. I’m not going to reply now or answer any calls, I’m just going to send the letter tomorrow and hopefully that’s the end of it. I know if we talk on the phone I won’t be able to be as assertive as I’d like to be and I just don’t want to talk about it anymore.

thank you all for your support.