Communications Team

The Communications Team manages Trust-wide communications and is based at De La Court House on the Queen Alexandra Hospital site.  The Communications Team are also the main point of contact between the Trust and local and national news media.

Press Office function

The Communications Team is available Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.  For urgent enquiries out of office hours, please contact the Duty Manager via the main hospital switchboard. All non-urgent enquiries should be made during normal office hours.

Contact information

During office hours, please contact:

Communications Office: 023 9228 6712 / communications@porthosp.nhs.uk

Outside of office hours (and only if urgent), contact the Duty Manager via the hospital switchboard: 023 9228 6000.

Patient confidentiality

Patient confidentiality is paramount and the Trust will not divulge any information about a patient unless we have express written permission from the patient or his or her next of kin. In addition the Trust will not give condition checks due to patient confidentiality.

Any requests to interview or photograph patients should come through the Communications Team. If a family has invited you in to take pictures of a patient on the ward permission must still be granted by the Communications Team.

Interview requests with Trust staff

The Communications Team should be the first point of contact for all journalists contacting the Trust.  Trust staff will refer any direct requests for filming to the press office.  Under no circumstances may interviews, filming or photography be carried out on Trust premises without the express permission of the Communications Team.

Major incidents

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust is a receiving hospital in the event of a major incident.  Should a major incident occur the Trust has robust contingency plans and these plans include arrangements for the media.  Media representatives will have access to a press centre in the function room of the social club which is close to the Emergency Department. This area will have power points for laptops etc. but no telephone points.  It also has a facility to provide refreshments.  Media will be given regular updates on the incident and the opportunity for interviews.  Dependent on the type of incident a decision will be made at the time regarding the best place for photographs and filming to take place.