Medirek covers film, TV and commercial productions at or near Canterbury, Kent, 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.
Canterbury is a compact cathedral city with medieval streets, city walls, the River Stour and a largely pedestrianised centre.
Filming in Canterbury: locations and permits
Canterbury's historic streets and buildings are used for period and contemporary scenes, but the city centre is busy with residents, students and visitors. Narrow pedestrian streets limit vehicle access for the unit and for emergency services, so access, crowd management and the route out for a casualty need to be agreed in advance.
Who gives permission: the Kent Film Office handles filming for Canterbury, including permits for council land and highway filming, dispensations and traffic management. Cathedral, university and other private sites give their own permission.
Sources: Kent Film Office
Production safety and RAMS in Canterbury
Permit bodies and landowners in Canterbury 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 Canterbury
- Narrow, pedestrianised streets
- Visitors and students around set
- Historic buildings and uneven surfaces
- Limited vehicle and emergency access
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 Canterbury
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 Canterbury 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 Canterbury
The typical route from Medirek's base in Alfold, Surrey, is via the M25, M2 and A2. 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 shoot in Canterbury's pedestrianised centre?
Yes. Medirek can provide a medic and plan access and casualty routes for pedestrian streets where vehicles are restricted.
Who issues filming permits in Canterbury?
The Kent Film Office handles filming for Canterbury, including highway filming. Private sites such as the cathedral give their own permission.
Can you supply a risk assessment for a highway permit?
Yes. Medirek can write production-specific risk assessments and method statements to support your applications.
Can you provide a production safety advisor for a shoot in Canterbury?
Yes. Medirek's production safety advisors can attend the tech recce in Canterbury, 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.