There are many social media platforms that are widely used by staff, patients, and members of the public such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn.

Our practice has a Facebook page which provides a range of useful information for our patient population. We have 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 guidance.

Patients and members of the public are expected to adhere to the following code of conduct at all times:

1. Users of portable devices are required to use them in a courteous and considerate manner, that is respectful of others. Unless agreed with the clinician, portable devices should not be used during consultations.

2. Information about other patients and staff members is confidential. Patients must not disclose any identifiable information about others on social media without the express permission of that person.

3. Patients should not use any social media platform to make or cancel appointments, share medical information with the practice or make contact with a member of staff. Any such contact with the practice should be via appropriately confidential and routine communication methods

Homepage - Frome Valley Medical Centre

4. Photographs or any media recordings are not permitted in the waiting room or areas where other patients are present, nor should patients take photographs or media recordings of any staff without their explicit consent. 5. Should patients wish to leave a review about Frome Valley Medical Centre, this should be done via the NHS website Find out how to leave a review of an NHS service - NHS (www.nhs.uk) . This will enable the Practice Manager to respond appropriately.

6. Patients must not post comments on social media that identify staff who work at the practice.

7. Patients must not post any material that is inaccurate, threatening, obscene, defamatory, or unlawful. Any such posts on the practice Facebook page and/or other social media platform will be deleted by the Practice and/or reported to the applicable media platform. Further guidance to this can be found here: https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/gp-practices/complaints-in-primary-care/dealing-with-abuse-of-practice-staff-on-social-media-from-patients

8. Derogatory and offensive comments about our team will not be tolerated on any social media platform. The Malicious Communications Act 1988 and the Communications Act 2003 make it an offence for a patient to send online messages or posts that contain threats, grossly offensive, obscene, menacing, or false information, where the sender’s intention is to cause the recipient distress or anxiety. Legal advice will be sought, and the appropriate action taken against any individual who posts defamatory comments.

Feedback and complaints

We appreciate any feedback our patients may have, good and bad. However, if you wish to make a complaint, we kindly request that you do so using our designated complaints procedure. We will only respond to complaints made to the practice in accordance with the practice policy and a complaint made on any social media platform may be deleted. Suggestions & Complaints - Frome Valley Medical Centre