Coronavirus: Hospital defends decision to allow Ross Kemp behind-the-scenes access to Covid-19 patients

‘We felt it was important to give a true account on the work being done,’ say bosses

A hospital has defended its decision to allow Ross Kemp behind the scenes access to Covid-19 patients for a documentary.

The former EastEnders actor tweeted video footage of himself outside Milton Keynes University Hospital to promote his new series, Ross Kemp: On the NHS Frontline.

He then posted another video some hours later, apparently from inside the hospital, in which he wore a face mask as he explained how he and his production team were replacing any NHS face masks they used with ones of the same standard.

However, the videos attracted criticism from Twitter users, who questioned why the star and his camera crew had been allowed inside the hospital when relatives were restricted from visiting loved ones, and why film crews with personal protective equipment (PPE) were not donating it to the NHS.

One person wrote: “I’m sorry but just don’t see how this can be justified people are dying without family members because they are not allowed into ICU but a film Crewe is acceptable. Stay at home protect the NHS.”

While another critic said: “If you’ve got PPE you are depleting the available supply. You have no medical training and cannot help, only hinder.”

Others agreed with the move, including one woman who said: “I think the point is to show what it’s really like inside, to encourage the idiots to stay at home. Might be a good reality check.”

Milton Keynes University Hospital defended its decision to allow Mr Kemp access, saying it hoped the documentary would provide reassurance to the public about how their loved ones are being cared for, while also reinforcing the message to stay home.

The hospital said in a statement: “There is a lot of anxiety and confusion both about the NHS’ ability to meet the pressures of Covid-19 and the type of care that is being offered to those that have the virus.

“After discussions with NHS England, we believed it was important to give a mainstream media outlet controlled access to the hospital so that the public could be informed and reassured about the response of hospitals to Covid-19.

“At a time when there is anxiety nationally about the spread of Covid-19 and the NHS’s ability to respond to the pressures the virus will bring, we felt it was important to give a true account on the work being done in hospitals and in community settings, and the measures being taken to prevent the spread of the virus.

“We hope that the programme will help to reinforce the message that it is important for members of the public to stay at home and protect the NHS.

“We also hope that it will help to illustrate that hospitals and communities are still running business as usual in certain services, including maternity and emergency departments, up and down the country and that the NHS and other care organisations are there to help people that need it for non-Covid-19 related issues.”