Media

Journalists are often interested in profiling RCH patients and their families in the media. Here is some information to help you during your child’s stay at the RCH.

Media interest and support

A child’s time in hospital can be stressful and difficult. During this time, families may be contacted directly by media. This is particularly the case when a child is admitted following an accident, has a rare condition or if media has read online about a child’s medical journey.

Media at the RCH

RCH Corporate Communications is responsible for managing all media relations at the hospital and is the first point of contact for any media enquiry or visit to the hospital.

Speaking with media about your child

Corporate Communications is available to advise and assist families in their dealings with media.

Media may approach you directly to write or film a story about your child’s condition while they are an inpatient at the RCH.

Families who wish to invite media into the hospital when their child is an in-patient must seek approval from Corporate Communications who will gain approval of the child’s care team.

A Corporate Communications staff member will accompany media during their visit, including for interviews, filming and photography. This is primarily to ensure patients, families and visitors are not disturbed during their stay at the RCH and that full written consent is received before permitting media to film, photograph or interview our patients. It is also to consult staff about media presence onsite and to ensure staff are not interrupted while caring for other patients.

Patient condition reports

As the statewide major trauma centre for paediatrics, the RCH provides emergency treatment and ongoing care for the majority of Victoria’s most severely injured children.

To reduce the burden on you and your family being contacted by media, and to minimise the risk of inaccurate reporting, Corporate Communications will provide media with patient condition reports upon request.

The updates are very brief reports, i.e. "The patient is in a satisfactory/stable/serious/critical condition".

We respect and maintain the privacy of our patients. For this reason, we will not confirm further details about your child such as name, age, details of incident or injuries, family circumstances etc. unless we have obtained full informed consent from you.

If you do not want us to provide a condition report to media, please let the nurse in charge know and as them to contact Corporate Communications via email or phone on 03 9345 4220.

Proactive media

Corporate Communications may approach patients and their families to seek their involvement in a story throughout the year, and especially in the lead-up to Good Friday, as part of the Good Friday Appeal.

We will explain the purpose of the story, the media involved and will accompany media at all times on their visit to the hospital. This may include facilitating media on the ward and in theatre. Families are under no obligation to participate.

Organ donation stories

The RCH is regularly asked to connect journalists with patients who may be waiting for an organ donation or have received one.

Australia’s organ and tissue donation program is confidential, where neither the donor family nor the recipient and their families know one another, and care should be taken when speaking with media.

Corporate Communications is available to explain sensitivities to media and to assist families in sharing their stories.

This will involve:

·       Discussing the best timeframe for speaking with media. Medical staff may make recommendations about the timing of media involvement and release of the story.

·       Speaking with the patient’s family about the type of media they are comfortable doing or speaking with extended family members if they are speaking on your behalf.

·       Seeking approval from the patient’s medical team.

·       Explaining the sensitivities of organ donation to media and connecting them with expert spokespeople at the RCH.

Photography/filming and posting online

We know that many patients, families and visitors are active online and want to document their time at the RCH on their personal social media accounts and websites (including blogs and fundraising sites), share updates with their family and friends and occasionally promote fundraising efforts.

The primary focus of RCH staff is to deliver safe, accessible and kid-centric care to your child and family.

Taking photographs, images, videos or voice recordings of staff at work (including conducting assessments and medical procedures or interacting with patients) may interfere with their ability to care for your child and other patients.

Content creators and video/production companies

Sometimes, families invite social media influencers, content creators, photographers, external video crews or production companies to visit and film or photograph their child.

Any visitors who film and produce content to be broadcast or published online including websites and social media are considered media and are therefore subject to the same rules as any visiting media group and the RCH Media Protocol. This means they must seek permission from Corporate Communications before visiting and filming and be accompanied by a member of the team during their visit.

If you would like to invite a content creator or production company to photograph or film your child, please reach out to the Corporate Communications team who can liaise with your child’s care team, discuss expectations with you and liaise with the creator ahead of their visit.

Filming and posting staff and other patients, families or visitors

Photographs and videos of staff, other patients, families or visitors are not to be taken or used on personal social media or personal websites, including blogs and fundraising pages, without prior approval and consent from anyone filmed. This includes anyone who may be identifiable in the background.

If staff ask you to refrain from photographing or filming, please do so. This is to ensure your child is getting their full attention and to protect the personal privacy of staff.

Parents and families are not permitted to install or leave filming equipment including GoPros or nanny cams/spy cams on hospital property, including in a patient’s room.

Under no circumstances is photography or filming permitted in the RCH Emergency Department or in surgical theatres.

Please also remember when posting images and information on social media about your child’s admission to the RCH that media can use this information and photographs to build a news story. Media are under no obligation to seek permission from you to use material that you have posted publicly.

Sharing or receiving medical advice online

Families are also advised not to take medical advice from social media or share correspondence about their child’s treatment online. Treatment for each child is different and others may incorrectly use this information to inform their own child’s treatment. Always consult your child’s GP or clinician at the RCH if you require medical advice.

Connecting with staff outside of the RCH

We understand that patients and/or families may wish to connect to a staff member via social media, however we ask that you refrain from doing so. Staff are not permitted to form social relationships with patients and families on social networking sites.