Hospital defends its decision to allow a celebrity behind the scenes access to coronavirus patients at Milton Keynes Hospital

Ross tweeted photos of himself last week at the hospital, wearing a PPE mask and promoting his documentary, which will be shown on ITV on Thursday.

His post led to thousands of people questioning why the actor was allowed onto wards when relatives are not even allowed to visit their loved ones during the crisis.

One critic 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 crew is acceptable. Stay at home protect the NHS.

A Milton Keynes woman wrote: "As much as I like Ross Kemp, I feel as though this is very insensitive to the families who have relatives in MKUH. My mum is dying in hospital and none of us have been able to see her for over a month.

"Yet a big film crew have been able to get in to film a programme. I understand the need to highlight the work that the NHS are going and the pressure they are under but I for one am upset about this. Maybe I am bring unfair but I just miss my mum."

Another poster was more blunt: "Folk are dying alone (or hopefully with a caring NHS worker in their last minutes). Why on earth are you doing this?" he wrote.

Within hours of Ross's tweet, MK hospital responded with a lengthy questions and answers statement , explaining why the celebrity and his film crew had been allowed in.

It read: 'We have seen a number of questions and concerns raised following the news that Ross Kemp is filming a documentary at Milton Keynes University Hospital.

Please read the questions and answers below which outline why access was given, what this access means for patients and staff, and what we hope the programme will achieve.'

I can’t visit my ill relatives, so why are a film crew allowed access?

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.

We put in place visiting restrictions to prevent hundreds of people coming to the hospital and its wards every day. We took this difficult decision to help minimise the risk to our patients and staff of being exposed to the virus. Allowing access to a crew of maximum four people was fully risk assessed and we have carried out all Infection Prevention Control and PPE measures to ensure their presence at the hospital for a limited time presents no increased risk to patients or staff.

Are patients consenting to being filmed?

No patient or member of staff will be identifiable on film without their consent in two forms – one with the hospital’s team and one with the external film crew.

Some patients have expressly asked to be involved in filming so they can document their illness, the care they are receiving and the work of staff.

Who made the decision for filming to take place?

The decision was taken jointly by NHS England and the hospital’s executive directors in collaboration with the clinical teams.

No access is given to any area without the express consent of the clinical leads of that area.

What access are they being given?

For the most part, filming is taking place outside clinical areas. Where filming takes place in clinical areas, the crew is kept to a maximum of two (including the presenter) and they are required to wear the appropriate PPE. They are in clinical areas for a very limited time and under strict supervision of hospital staff.

Why are they being able to use PPE stock when it is in limited supply?

The film crew are replacing any PPE stock they use, like for like, on the same day as filming.

Why was this decision taken? Isn’t this just a distraction staff don’t need?

At a time when there is anxiety nationally about the spread of COVID-19 and the NHS’ 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.

What type of things are they filming?

This week, the crew spent less than two days filming at the hospital. In that time they have: spoken to doctors about the virus and treatment being given to COVID-19 patients; heard from nurses and physiotherapists about the incredible work they are doing to look after people and met a patient who had been discharged home having recovered from COVID-19 after being in intensive care.

A hospital spokesman said: "We hope this footage will both inform the public about this virus and reassure those who have loved ones in hospital who they can’t visit that they are receiving the best care possible."

Ross said: ‘My team and I have been embedded in Milton Keynes to tell the story of Covid-19. To show you the sacrifices that NHS staff are making on our behalf.

‘We’ve been filming on the frontline with @NHSuk staff as they deal with the coronavirus pandemic and we’ve been following the patients who are fighting Covid-19"

Ross Kemp: On the NHS Frontline airs on Thursday April 16 at 8.30pm on ITV.