NHS Staff Warn Risks From Patients Filming Treatments for TikTok

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) has raised serious concerns about patients filming their NHS medical treatments and consultations for social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, warning this practice risks compromising patient privacy and causing anxiety among healthcare staff. Medics report that filming can distract staff during procedures, potentially affecting the quality of care, and may inadvertently capture other patients' sensitive medical information. Instances include a patient's relative recording cancer treatment without permission and a teenager filming a cannulation procedure for entertainment, sometimes capturing nearby patients' private details. NHS staff, who wear identifiable badges, feel uncomfortable and anxious about being recorded covertly and having their work publicly shared online. The SoR is urging NHS trusts to implement clear, nationwide policies prohibiting filming or photographing clinical procedures without explicit staff permission to ensure a respectful and safe environment for both patients and healthcare professionals. While recognizing that some recordings, such as audio of consultations, can aid patient understanding, the SoR emphasizes the need for consent and safeguarding privacy in all cases.