Media enquiries
Communications and Marketing Team
The Communications and Marketing Team promotes the work of The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and The Walton Centre Charity.
The team publicises hospital developments, research breakthroughs, and other news stories associated with The Walton Centre. This means:
- Dealing with press enquiries
- Identifying 'experts' for interview
- Coordinating all photography and filming within the hospital
- Researching patient case studies
- Organising celebrity and VIP visits
- Producing the hospital magazine, Neuromatters
First point of contact for the media
The Communications and Marketing Team at The Walton Centre handles all media enquiries and requests for information from journalists. Read our recent news releases.
We understand media deadlines, can help you develop your stories, and can quickly identify and contact the most appropriate spokesperson.
We are happy to discuss possible feature, photographic and filming ideas, and will do our best to co-ordinate appropriate interviews, photography and filming requests.
We welcome all appropriate requests to speak to patients, families or staff at the hospital, but media representatives must not access The Walton Centre without prior knowledge or permission from the Communications and Marketing Team. Please contact us in advance and we will work with you to coordinate your request if it is possible.
We will arrange any photography or interviews with patients and families only if consent is given. Access will also be dependent on the patient’s condition and with the permission of staff involved in that patient’s care.
All media must be accompanied by a member of our Communications and Marketing Team while on the hospital site.
The Walton Centre has been involved in several TV programmes in recent years and we welcome proposals to film at The Walton Centre. If you have a proposal for filming at the hospital as part of a documentary or series please email it to the Communications and Marketing Team.
Patient confidentiality
We place a strong emphasis on the need for strict patient confidentiality. We will not divulge any information about a patient unless we are given permission from the individual or their next of kin.
Freedom of Information requests
All FOI requests are handled by our Information Governance Team. Read more about making a Freedom of Information request.
How to contact us
The Communications and Marketing Team is available from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday via email
wcft.communications@nhs.net or by contacting:
- Elaine Vaile: Head of Communications and Marketing, 0151 556 4129
- Sam Fleet: Senior External Communications Officer, 0151 556 3397
- Amy Mitchinson: Senior Internal Communications Officer, 0151 556 3435
- Sarah Weights: Digital Communications and Design Officer, 0151 556 4192
Page last updated: 19 July 2023