Social Media Policy

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There are many social media platforms that are widely used by both staff and patients; these include Facebook, Twitter (Now known as X), Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list.

The Pembridge Villas Surgery has a duty to maintain patient confidentiality and to safeguard vulnerable patients. You can help us achieve this by adhering to the code of conduct outlined in this policy. If you have any feedback about our service, we encourage you to report this to the practice through the website. The practice always investigates and responds to complaints. The partners reserve the right to remove a patient from the surgery list and report them to the social networking site if they are found to have made libellous statements or defamatory comments about the surgery or a member of the surgery staff.

Patients at The Pembridge Villas Surgery are expected to adhere to the following code of conduct at all times:

• The practice requires all users of portable devices to use them in a courteous and considerate manner, respecting their fellow patients. Portable devices are not to be used during consultations unless agreed by clinicians.
• Patients are not permitted to disclose any patient-identifiable information about other patients, unless they have the express consent of that patient.
• Patients must not post any material that is inaccurate, fraudulent, harassing, embarrassing, obscene, defamatory, or unlawful. Any such posts will be reported to the relevant authorities, with legal advice being taken when necessary.
• Patients are not permitted to take photographs in the waiting room or areas where other patients are present, nor are photographs of staff permitted.
• Patients must not post comments on social media that identify staff who work at the practice. 6. Patients are to use the NHS website should they wish to leave a review about the Surgery. This will enable the Practice Manager to respond appropriately.
• Defamatory comments about our team are not to be shared on any social media platform. Legal advice will be sought, and the appropriate action taken against any patient who posts defamatory comments.
• The legal definition of defamation is: “any intentionally false communication, either written or spoken, that harms a person’s reputation; decreases the respect, regard, or confidence in which a person is held; or induces disparaging, hostile or disagreeable opinions or feelings against a person.

Ethical Social Networking

The GMC’s guidance, Doctors’ use of social media states that social media sites should never be used to discuss individual patients or their care. If a GP is contacted by a patient through their private profile for medical advice the patient will be asked to direct their query to the surgery.

Patient complaints on social media

In the modern age of the internet, some people choose to air their concerns regarding services on social media. Our experience is that, for the most part, comments posted on social media tend to be of a negative nature and attract all manner of further negative responses – often becoming individualised comments rather than constructive feedback about an organisation. Such posts about our practice staff have been brought to our attention in the past.

If any offensive social media posts are brought to our attention, we may contact the patient/s involved and invite them to have a face-to-face discussion about the issues that they have. However, depending on the content of the post, it may be viewed as a potential breakdown in the doctor-patient relationship and could result in you being removed from our practice list.

We welcome all feedback – positive and negative – as it is gives us the opportunity to review the services we provide and, where necessary, make changes or improvements.

You would not expect to read derogatory comments about yourself online and neither do we.