Guide to the Recording of Staff by Family Caregivers and Visitors Policy

If you wish to make a recording on SickKids property, the following information provides guidance on when and how recordings can be made. Please note that consent is required if anyone other than yourself or your child, or their personal information or personal health information is captured in the recording.

The recording guidelines on this page apply to patients, caregivers and visitors. If you are a member of the media, consult the Media Relations & Policies page.

Guiding principles for recordings

Respect privacy and confidentiality: Recordings should never compromise the personal or health information of anyone at SickKids.
Get consent first: If someone other than you or your child might be seen or heard in your recording, you must ask for their permission before recording.
Follow hospital policies: While the law may permit some recordings, SickKids reserves the right to deny or stop any recording made without permission or interrupts operations and/or patient care.
Promote safe and compassionate care: In support of open communication and trust, recording guidelines are meant to help everyone feel safe, respected, and comfortable when working with their health-care teams.

Overview

SickKids respects the individual privacy and confidentiality of patients, visitors and SickKids staff. As a health information custodian under the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), SickKids also has an obligation to protect the personal information and personal health information in its custody. SickKids delivers care to many vulnerable people whose personal safety and health information should be protected at all times. We recognize that both family caregivers and our staff want safe, respectful, and transparent care interactions, and make every effort to support this process.

To ensure the delivery of safe and compassionate care, there are certain instances in which recording activities will not be permitted on SickKids premises or during virtual visits. These include audio or visual recordings, and photography. While Section 184 of the Criminal Code of Canada permits recordings when at least one person involved in the recording consents, SickKids values the privacy and safety of our patients and staff. SickKids has the right to deny or request that recordings that are in progress be stopped if the recording is being done without the consent of those captured in it (including staff) or it is deemed to interfere with SickKids operations or patient care.

SickKids recognizes that sometimes, families with children receiving care need additional support with managing stressors. We are committed to approaching these situations with compassion and understanding. The purpose of this recording policy is to encourage conversations between families and health-care providers to create trust and provide excellent health care to our patients.

FAQs

For clarity, a “recording” is defined as any image, video or audio reproduction of a person, personal health information, personal information, or employee information, regardless of how it is captured, including live webcasts and streams (collectively referred to herein as "recordings" or being "recorded").

We understand that there may be situations where making a recording may be helpful or desired. Some examples include:

to better understand a clinician’s explanations;
to get instructions on how to administer medication; or
to share a clinician’s discharge instructions with another parent or caregiver.

In these types of situations, please share such requests with your clinical team. Staff will work with you to make sure you have everything you need to care for your child’s health when you leave SickKids.

Hidden or unauthorized recordings are strictly prohibited. Recordings made without the knowledge and consent of individuals are not permitted.

To allow SickKids staff to focus on delivery of care, you are not allowed to record when a patient is receiving care, during treatments, or procedures without the consent of all staff present. To protect the privacy of patients, recordings in group treatment areas, such as infusion or rehabilitation, are not permitted.

Recordings are only permitted after the individual obtains the express consent of all persons who may be reasonably expected to be recorded, including any staff or visitors. Everyone has the right to refuse to be recorded.

If you would like to make a recording, please speak with your clinical team in advance. It's best to have this conversation before you begin making a recording to ensure everyone is in agreement.

Here are a few ways you can start the conversation with your care team:

“I won’t be able to remember this information for later. Can I record it?”
“I need to share this information with [another caregiver/the patient/etc.]. I need to record it in order to share it with them. How can I do that?”
“I want to record for my/my child’s safety. Can I speak with someone about this?”

If you have concerns about your or your child’s experiences or safety at SickKids, we encourage you to discuss these with the clinical team, or reach out to Patient and Family Relations by calling 416-813-6181, or by emailing patient.relations@sickkids.ca. If you identify as a member of either of the following groups, you can request to speak with the Black Health and Inclusion Liaison or the Indigenous Health Navigator for assistance. You can also ask to speak with the unit or clinic manager, Protection Services, or a social worker. SickKids takes your safety and your concerns seriously. We will work with you to address your concerns and determine a path forward.

A person who is found to be or have been recording in breach of this policy will be informed of the policy prohibiting unauthorized recording and will be asked to cease the recording activity immediately. Depending on the circumstances, a person making a recording contrary to this policy may be reminded of the SickKids’ Patient and Family Rights and Responsibilities, and may be subject to further consequences.

Audio, photo and video recordings may be made within SickKids with the consent of those who are being recorded. It is important to be mindful of the privacy of others, including patients, families, visitors, physicians, staff, students and volunteers.

We recognize that there may be a number of situations where family caregivers wish to take photos or otherwise record their child. Examples include: updating another family member, capturing a milestone, etc. As detailed above, there are some areas of the hospital where recordings are strictly prohibited.

You are permitted to make a recording as long as you do not capture any personal information or personal health information of other individuals, including SickKids Staff. If you wish to capture other individuals in the recording, you must get consent first.

It is your choice to share yours or your child’s personal health information publicly. The same requirements for consent apply to all recordings.

In most cases, staff members should not handle a patient, family caregiver, or visitor’s phone.

If you have concerns about your or your child’s experiences or safety at SickKids, we encourage you to discuss these with the clinical team, or reach out to Patient and Family Relations by calling 416-813-6181, or by emailing patient.relations@sickkids.ca. If you identify as a member of either of the following groups, you can request to speak with the Black Health and Inclusion Liaison or the Indigenous Health Navigator. You can also ask to speak with the unit manager, Protection Services (security), or a social worker.

Contact

Have questions? Need more information on this topic? Call the Privacy Office at 416-813-7474 or email privacy.office@sickkids.ca.