Social media and the NHS

Read these useful links first:

https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/doctors-use-of-social-media

https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/ethics/social-media-guidance-for-doctors

As international medical graduates, we may find this difficult to understand. However most things should be clear by reading the aforementioned official guidance.

Here are a few scenarios:

WHATSAPP
A few trusts use WhatsApp to communicate.
Here are a list of a few groups you may be familiar with:
Foundation year trainee groups-
used to spread information about foundation year teaching, interesting conferences and arranging mutual swaps for shifts.
SHO groups - 
Used to spread information about teaching and any mutual swaps for shifts. The rota team may also post on these groups asking doctors to cover any locum shifts.
Ward WhatsApp groups- 
These are used to communicate within the team especially on wards where there are a lot of outlier patients like the renal ward. In my case, there are a few outlying wards, a dialysis unit, an acute dialysis unit, ITU and referrals to see. The group is used to tell everyone where we are. No patients details are shared and this way the consultants and juniors remain in constant communication.

Simple rules of WhatsApp:
1. Do not share any details of patients
2. Do not share any concerns you have regarding your work - there are escalation pathways for that. ie - your supervisor, rota coordinators, medical director, junior doctors forum, guardian of freedom to speak up.

FACEBOOK
Facebook is used by all health care staff. However we need to be extra vigilant about the following:
1. Do not post any details of any patients you have seen ( posts like OMG I saw a royal member of the family and cannulated him/her - this will not go down well with the royal family or the GMC #royalfamilycannulated seems like a lame hashtag anyway).
If you are very excited about this, share the excitement with the team looking after the said celebrity.
2. Do not post any concerns about your trust. If you do, keep it anonymous. There are amazing Facebook groups for doctors working in the UK and people do share anonymous information when they are worried. They get the right support from the right people.
3. Do not post videos of yourself driving, smoking weird things which we counsel our own patients not, going a bit too far with alcohol and stuff you would NOT like the GMC or your parents to know about.

PS: International medical graduates may not be aware of this but you cannot use your phone while driving and can be reported to the GMC:
https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-driving-the-law
The same rules apply.

Also be careful about accepting friend requests from patients. There should be a formal relationship between patients and healthcare providers as mentioned here:
https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/maintaining-a-professional-boundary-between-you-and-your-patient

So the bottomline is, be careful on what you post on WhatsApp and other social media. If you are in doubt, ask your colleagues. If still in doubt, do not post it. Be careful. The GMC is very vigilant and you never know who may report you.



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