Press and media

Press and media enquiries

NHS Fife Corporate Communications operates during normal office hours (Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm) and can be contacted at: fife.communications@nhs.scot. This mailbox is monitored continually during office hours.  

All media enquiries should to be sent to us in writing, either by email using the address above or by completing our online form. This helps ensure that the different aspects of an enquiry can be addressed, helps quicken the process of arranging a response and provides a paper trail for both parties. NHS Fife will subsequently provide a formal written response by return. Please provide full details of your request, your deadline and your email and phone number.

We always respond to media enquiries as quickly as possible, and with as much detail as we can in any given circumstance. This is because we may have to contact a number of people in order to gather information, and they are not automatically available, for example because they are busy with patients. It is helpful to give as much notice of a request for comment as possible, which usually enables us time to respond more fully to any enquiries.

Should you wish to discuss a media enquiry with us, we are available by phone during office hours on: 01592 647971.

Out of hours arrangements

Weekday evening cover

Between 5.00pm and 9.00am on weekdays, NHS Fife operates a limited out-of-hours media service. This is intended only for urgent enquiries related to major incidents.

Routine or non-urgent media queries received during this time via the dedicated Corporate Communications email: fife.communications@nhs.scot will be acknowledged and responded to during the next working day.

If you have an urgent media enquiry relating to a major incident, out of hours, please contact the NHS Fife switchboard on 01592 643355, where your call will be assessed and, where appropriate, will be escalated to Corporate Communications as required.

Weekend cover 

From 5.00pm on a Friday until 9.00am on a Monday NHS Fife offers an emergency weekend communications on-call service. All enquiries should be directed to Fife.communicatons@nhs.scot. 

This mailbox is routinely monitored across the weekend for urgent media enquiries.

Filming requests 

We welcome requests from the media, and our staff are happy to get involved where reasonable and appropriate. All proposals will be considered and accommodated where possible and appropriate. When making requests, please provide as much notice as possible to allow time to discuss with the relevant clinical team/s. Please email: fife.communications@nhs.scot with the relevant information in the first instance.

Filming on the grounds of our hospitals must also be agreed in advance with Corporate Communications in order that there is no disruption to patients and visitors, and to ensure their confidentiality in maintained.

Staff or patient interview requests 

All requests for interviews with patients or staff, and any filming or photography at our hospitals need to be directed to the Corporate Communications in the first instance, and should not be carried out without our approval.

Providing our patients with the best possible care is our priority. Filming or photography that may interfere in our care provision to our patients will not be permitted. No patients or staff should be filmed or photographed without the proper consent, even if this takes place outside of our hospitals.

Press and Media attendance at NHS Fife Board Meetings

NHS Fife Board meetings are meetings held in public, where attendees are invited to observe proceedings but not participate. Attendance is welcomed, by members of the press and media and members of the public however the following rules apply:

• No questions or comments may be directed from the public or media to the Board, during the meeting.
• No photography, filming, or audio recording is permitted at any time.
• All mobile phones and devices must be switched off throughout the meeting.
• No interviews will be given before or after the meeting unless pre-arranged through the NHS Fife Communications Team.
• No press and media or members of the public can attend any private session of the Board meeting.

Press and Media and the public are asked to apply in advance by following instructions at  https://www.nhsfife.org/about-us/nhs-fife-board/