Using Getty Images

Our account allows access to more than 15 million stock images across most NIHR host organisations and some named partners. Photos must be used for NIHR content only. They must not be shared with any organisations, including the Department of Health and Social Care, other partner organisations and the media.

Getty Images contracts and distribution is managed by NIHR central comms.

Host organisations covered

NIHR host organisations contractually allowed to use our Getty Images licence until March 2026 are:

• Barts Health NHS Trust

• Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

• Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust

• LGC

• Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

• Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Foundation Trust

• Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Royal Devon University Healthcare Foundation Trust

• Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

• Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

• University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS
  Foundation Trust

• University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

• University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

• University of Leeds

• University of Southampton

Your NIHR coordinating centre comms lead will have already provided your name to central comms if you are to have an account.

Getting started 

Your sign in details will be provided through your email. We have access to most of Getty Image’s 'creative' stock library. This covers stock photography as well as illustrations and textured backgrounds. 

We do not have access to use 'editorial' (photojournalism) or 'video'. If you wish to use these services, please speak to your comms lead to arrange purchase from a separate account. 

Getty Images uses a conventional text box search engine and includes image filters, such as orientation, location and types of person. 

Credits

Each NIHR centre has been allocated a set number of agreed credits per year taken from a 'premium access' pool. These credits are used to buy images for NIHR as a whole. Contact your coordinating centre comms lead to find out your centre’s annual amount. 

Corporate comms will monitor the overall usage, however, it is imperative centres keep within their allocated credits. 

Exceeding your centre’s allocated credits mean other centres may be unable to download photos when they need them. 

Shortlisting 

Saving to a board is one of the best ways to check if you or your team is happy with the image before downloading. This function allows you to compare several images side-by-side for your project.

When you find an image and have clicked on the image, select ‘save’ underneath. You’ll be prompted to create a new board if you don’t have one already. You can then view your images side-by-side by selecting ‘boards’ from the top right menu of the website. The board can then be shared with others. Boards also allow multiple contributors so you can shortlist together as a team.

Alternatively, copy and paste the image directly to your project. The pasted image will include a watermark that has its ID number, photographer and the Getty Images logo. 

Please read our photography visual identity page before downloading an image. This includes information on health and care settings, style and incorrect uses.

Only download the image when you are sure it will be used. Each download uses a credit so ensure you and your team agrees it's suitable first. 

Downloading

Photo downloads use 1 credit, taken from your team’s annual allocation. If the image has already been downloaded by another NIHR staff member within the financial year, it will not use one of your centre credits. Credits will only be used once per image as long as it is within the current financial year. It will not use another credit, even if the next user is in a different team, centre or host organisation.

A ‘last downloaded’ message will be shown if the image has already been downloaded within the financial year. 

However, credits and download information refreshes each financial year. This means an image downloaded in 2025-26, will have to be downloaded again and a credit would be used in 2026-27. Therefore it is imperative that photos are stored correctly by the user after downloading.

Leaving NIHR

If you or a member of your team is leaving NIHR, please contact Marcel Reinard to deactivate the account.