Press office - our media service

Media enquiries

OFFICE HOURS - Monday to Friday: 9.00am-5.30pm

Contact the communications and marketing team by calling  Head of Communications Helen O`Brien on  07500092671 or Communications Officer Ben Granger on  07809309458 , or by e-mailing  ben.granger@stockport.nhs.uk or helen.obrien@stockport.nhs.uk

OUT OF HOURS - for urgent media calls out of hours contact Caroline Parnell, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs on 07807671728.  

Patient confidentiality

We are committed to protecting patients` confidentiality. Legally, we have to get permission from patients or their next of kin in order to give any information to the media. Requests for interviewing and or photographing patients must always be made through the communications and marketing team via 0161 419 4576 or 0161 419 4574.

Condition checks

We are able to give a basic condition check to the media where a named individual has been identified and the patient or their next of kin has given consent for this information to be released. Requests for condition checks should be made to the communications and marketing team via 0161 419 4576 or 0161 419 4574.

Media contacting staff

The media should always contact the communications and marketing team in the first instance. If staff are contacted directly by the media they will refer the reporter/journalist to the communications & marketing team in the first instance.

Media visits to hospital sites

All media visits to our hospital or any of our health centres must be cleared in advance through the communications & marketing office. We are not being over bureaucratic; this policy is in place because privacy and security for patients is very important. It is the role of the communications team to help smooth the way for media visits and filming.

Drama/film/commercial location filming on our site

We encourage this where it is operationally possible. However, we do ask for a donation or make a charge to cover staff time, administration and any disruption. Please contact the communications and marketing team on 0161 419 4574.

Patients and visitors filming, recording or taking photos on our site

Patients and visitors are free to take photos, record or film themselves on our sites. However they must have permission to photograph/record/film any other patients or staff members.

Where the patient is under 16 years old, unable to make a decision or give informed consent, the immediate family members (preferably next of kin) are free to take photos, record or film the patient on our site/s as long as this is in the patient’s best interest. However they must have permission to photograph/record/film any other patients or staff members.

Freedom of Information enquiries

Further information here can be found on our Freedom of Information pages.

Infectious diseases enquiries

Patients with suspected infectious diseases are regularly admitted to our hospital for diagnostic tests and treatment. We have well tested procedures in place for treating patients with infections and there is no risk to other patients. We will not be responding to any enquiries about reports of this activity in our hospital.

Any information required about cases of coronavirus will be confirmed by the DoH media team – please contact them if you have any queries - the number is 0207 972 1186.