TV drama scenes filmed on hospital’s redundant wards

The popular TV drama, Waterloo Road, has been filming at the Rochdale Infirmary, Rochdale Online understands.

The seventh series of the Rochdale based programme is currently being filmed and some scenes have been shot on wards no longer being used at the Infirmary.

Rochdale Online understands the Special Care Baby Unit which was closed earlier this year is being used for the filming.

Health Campaigner, Councillor Jean Ashworth, said the use of the wards was “disgraceful.”

She said: “They have closed our wards and mothers and babies are having to travel further and yet the Trust is making money out of it – It is disgraceful.

“People need to know what they are doing. They won’t open extra wards to help people in this borough but they will open them for their own means.

“Is the money they are being paid going towards the deficit they have got?”

A spokesman for The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust did not confirm if the show was being filmed, but said: “Like many other NHS Trusts, we are approached from time to time by television production companies wishing to use accommodation at our hospitals for the purpose of filming drama scenes in a hospital setting.

“We do allow filming for short periods, particularly in areas not currently in use where there would be no disruption to patient care.

“Our services benefit by investment of the filming fees that we charge.”