Medirek covers film, TV and commercial productions at or near Winchester, Hampshire, from its base in Alfold, Surrey. Cover is matched to the production's risk, from a single set medic to higher-level clinicians, ambulance cover, RAMS and tech recces, water safety and fire cover.
Winchester is a historic cathedral city, with its cathedral and close, the Great Hall, medieval streets and the Hampshire Downs around it.
Filming in Winchester: locations and permits
Winchester Cathedral has doubled for the Vatican in The Da Vinci Code and for Westminster Abbey in The Crown. The historic centre suits period and costume drama, but it is a busy city with residents, visitors and traffic, and its streets are narrow. Period crowd scenes, horses and technical vehicle parking all need planning, as does the route out for a casualty from a closed street or a historic building.
Who gives permission: Winchester City Council handles filming in the district and asks for details of the shoot, public liability insurance and a risk assessment, with at least two weeks' notice for small shoots. Licences for works on the highway come from Hampshire County Council, and the cathedral gives its own permission.
Sources: Winchester City Council: filming in the district; Hampshire County Council: highway licences; Visit Winchester: Winchester on screen
Production safety and RAMS in Winchester
Permit bodies and landowners in Winchester commonly ask for a risk assessment, and some ask for full risk assessments and method statements. Medirek's production safety advisors can attend your tech recce, write production-specific RAMS you can submit with your applications, and provide an on-site safety manager, plus water safety and fire cover teams where the shoot needs them. Because the same team plans the medical cover, the RAMS and the medical plan match.
Hazards we plan for in Winchester
- Narrow historic streets
- Crowds, horses and period action
- Cathedral and historic interiors
- Vehicle parking and closures
Medirek looks at these at the tech recce and builds them into the medical plan, including access for an ambulance and the route to the nearest emergency department.
What Medirek provides in Winchester
Unit and set medics
Staff are DBS checked, uniformed and hold relevant, recognised qualifications, ranging from FREC 3, FREC 4, ECA and RTACC through to HCPC-registered paramedics and nurses, with doctors where the risk calls for it.
Stunt and action cover
Higher-level clinicians for stunts, vehicle action and SFX, planned with your stunt coordinator.
Ambulance cover and conveyance
Arranged where the risk assessment calls for it. Medirek has 4×4-capable response vehicles for remote and off-road locations.
Health and safety, RAMS, tech recce
Production-specific risk assessments and method statements for your Winchester locations, informed by a tech recce.
Water safety
Bankside responders and in-water safety staff in full PPE for non-swift water.
Fire cover
Fire prevention advice and rapid intervention teams for SFX, pyrotechnics and builds.
Insured and clinically governed
Strict clinical governance, overseen by a GMC-registered Medical Director and a clinical team including paramedics and frontline medical staff, for consistent care. Insured with £2m medical malpractice and £10m public liability.
Confidential and responsive
Staff work under production NDAs and confidentiality. We endeavour to help all productions, including last-minute requests where possible.
Getting to Winchester
The typical route from Medirek's base in Alfold, Surrey, is via the A31 and M3. Unit base, call times and rendezvous points are agreed when cover is booked. We endeavour to help all productions, including last-minute requests where possible.
Frequently asked questions
Can you cover a period crowd scene in Winchester?
Yes. Medirek scales medical cover to the number of cast, supporting artists and crew, and can add higher-level clinicians for action.
Who handles filming permits in Winchester?
Winchester City Council handles filming in the district. Highway licences come from Hampshire County Council and the cathedral gives its own permission.
Can you provide the risk assessment the council asks for?
Yes. Medirek can write production-specific risk assessments and method statements for your Winchester locations.
Can you provide a production safety advisor for a shoot in Winchester?
Yes. Medirek's production safety advisors can attend the tech recce in Winchester, write production-specific risk assessments and method statements for your permit applications, and provide an on-site safety manager, water safety and fire cover, alongside or separate from medical cover.
More filming locations nearby
Further reading: The most filmed towns and counties in the South and South East