Cameron Accused Of Media Censorship Over Cold Reception During Visit To NHS Hospital

Last Wednesday 15 February the Prime Minister David Cameron met doctors, nurses, paramedics and local police on a visit to a hospital in the North East to highlight the cost of alcohol to the NHS.

But far from the usual expected TV news story on BBC TV amongst others lasting several minutes, and with clips of him talking to NHS staff and promoting the government’s policy on dealing with the issue of costs to the NHS as a result of alcohol abuse, the public never got that at all. Not even the name of the hospital concerned was given out over early evening TV news.

Instead just a 90 second video was shown, featuring the PM speaking with only one person, the A&E matron at an unnamed hospital. On the BBC News website, only a 71 second video is shown, with Cameron speaking over intersperced images of the hospital and patients with curtains around their beds.

This has led to speculation that his visit didn’t in fact go down well with staff, or patients and that it was all covered up to ensure once again, BBC News and others did not report disquiet over the Health Care Services Bill going through the Lords at the moment.

Given the lack of TV news coverage of the national debate going on about the future of the NHS and the privatisation which will result once the HCS Bill becomes law, many have accused the TV news media channels of collusion with the Government to ensure majority of opposition to the bill is not reported.

Now, and with thanks to an on-line blog called The Green Benches edited by Dr Éoin Clarke, the full story of what actually happened and at which North East hospital it occurred at has become public knowledge.

The background to his visit was that it was supposed to be a highly public visit, accompanied with the usual press entourage and coverage in the TV evening news channels reports. The event was to show Cameron chatting with happy nursing staff in order to encourage support for his NHS reforms and then to be interviewed on site about his plans to address the costs to the NHS of alcohol related injuries and illnesses.

Unlike visits to hospitals by his predecessors, who were happy for the media to follow them around the hospitals they visited, Cameron has been censoring journalists since his visit in 2011 when an angry staff member verbally attacked him on camera; by not allowing them to go round with him.

On this occasion all journalists were locked into a side room and not allowed to accompany David Cameron into the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary wards. This has been confirmed by a number of the journalists concerned.

Furthermore, there was no announcement to staff and patients about his visit that day.

The report of the event on The Green Benches blog states:

'What happened upon David Cameron's entry into the hospital itself, was until now, difficult to publicly confirm. 4 staff members have made their stories known privately but all are reluctant to come forward because they fear for their jobs.'

It goes on to detail the events of the day as reported by workers, journalists and members of the public:

'However, we do have the public account of a visitor to the hospital that day, and the account of a patient whose brother contacted me to give me an update on what went on at the hospital.'

It adds:

'My private sources tell me the Prime Minister got a bad reception. Much of the staff ignored him for his entire visit and he had to be closely guarded by police security. A young visitor Alexander Hay, who can be followed at @Alex_Hay tweeted about the Prime Minister's visit real time. He stated that he heard a nurse say to the PM "'I am vehemently opposed to reforms they're bad for patients and bad for care". Alex also confirms that the Prime Minister simply ignored the nurse and refused to reply to her. Alex's exact words were 'PM simply dismissed the criticism and reverted to scripted spin'.

Alex also later told a Telegraph journalist the PM's entourage moved on leaving the bemused staff member 'in the lurch' leaving behind other 'shocked members of staff'. He said that Cameron's entourage moved on leaving the staff member in the lurch and other staff shocke'

Whilst confirmation by journalists cannot be made because they were locked in a room. The blog goes on to explain:

'But two further sources further reveal that the PM received a verbal volley from one staff member who had to be 'led away'. I am told that that staff member is facing disciplinary action.'

Explaining further the blog continues:

'In addition, it has been stated by several sources that many staff just point blank refused to recognise his presence. Much of the anger from staff that day centred upon them not being informed of the PM's visit. 

So we can confirm that the PM's walkabout was limited. We can reveal that nurses did indeed give him a hostile reception. We can confirm that he was reduced to giving a rather bland interview detached from staff and patients because his reception was so hostile.'

Any doubt about how untoward all of this is, can be clearly seen when examining the record of previous visits to NHS hospitals by Prime Ministers, and one when Cameron was leader of the opposition:

In 2006, Cameron allowed journalists to accompany him on the wards here

In 2007, Gordon Brown allowed journalists to accompany him meeting staff here

In 2010, Cameron prevented journalists accompanying him here

In 2011, a member of staff verbally attacked the PM (Cameron) on camera in a ward here

In 2012, Cameron prevented journalists accompanying him on the wards & meeting staff

You can rewad the full reports at The Green Benches here

You can compare this report of Cameron’s visit to the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary on 15th February 2012 with that of the BBC news website here

Source: The Green Benches

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