Media access and enquiries

The media team at Health NZ is your first point of contact for all media enquiries relating to our:

• service delivery
• population health
• outbreak or pandemic management
• health promotion
• prevention and protection work.

They can help with:

• interviews with clinical staff, public health experts or researchers
• request for comment on service delivery or Health NZ organisational matters
• permission to film or photograph on hospital or facility sites
• connecting you with the right experts where appropriate - including clinicians, researchers, and public health specialists.

They will make sure your enquiries are handled efficiently and accurately. They understand media deadlines and can coordinate access to busy practitioners who may not otherwise be available.

Media access to hospitals and Health NZ facilities

All media access to hospitals or Health NZ facilities must be pre-approved by the media team. This ensures the protection of:

• patient confidentiality
• staff privacy
• infection control
• patient and staff safety.

Patient or parental consent alone is not sufficient. Approval must come from the media team, together with relevant clinical and legal leads.

Requests involving filming, photography, or interviews with patients, family members, or staff must be made in advance. The media team will work with clinicians and interviewees to arrange a suitable time and location if appropriate. We will also arrange for an escort.

All media activities are subject to the guidelines set by Health NZ, including:

• consultation with the media team
• requirements for patient and family consent
• restrictions in sensitive clinical situations.

Privacy waivers

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is committed to being as transparent as possible with the media.

When managing requests for information or comment this is done in line with our obligations under the Health Information Privacy Code and the Official Information Act.

Any request for comment about a patient’s care or treatment would be considered under our 'Privacy waiver policy'.

The decision on if a privacy waiver can be accepted or not will be made by our clinical team in consultation with our legal, privacy and media teams.

When considering a privacy waiver factors to be weighed up include the wishes of the individual against clinical, privacy and legal matters.  However, patient safety will be our overarching guide.  

Health New Zealand privacy waiver policyexternal linkPDF

Health New Zealand privacy waiver formexternal linkPDF

Contacting the media team

Email: hnzmedia@tewhatuora.govt.nz

An on-call media advisor also monitors this email for urgent requests outside of standard business hours.