The LMC receives queries from practices on how to manage social media issues. The following provides guidance on what to consider together with links to good practice and further guidance, so that practices can develop their own social media policies. However, please get in touch if you require further guidance. 

See our dedicated page for communicating with your patients here.

BMA Guidance

GPs and their staff are increasingly facing abuse from patients on social media. It is as unacceptable to abuse practices online as it is face-to-face, so you must understand how to protect yourself.

See here to read the BMA's guidance on dealing with abuse of practice staff on social media from patients.

The BMA Guidance highlights:

  • Practical steps to deal with online abuse and harassment
  • Reporting abuse to the platform provider
  • Guidance on refusing to treat abusive patients
  • How and when to involve the police and criminal sanctions

You can also find BMA guidance for ethics of social media use here.  

Social Media and Your Staff

ACAS provides guidance on how employers can develop their own policies and procedures to consider the impact of social media on:

The LMC HR team can also offer support and guidance. Contact the HR team here. 

Social Media & Your Patients

The use of social media has advantages and disadvantages. Social media can be a good way to promote your practice and get important health messages across to patients. However, it is inevitable that you may from time to time receive a complaint or negative comments and you will need to protect the privacy of staff and patients.

Top tips for social media in your practice include:

  • Have a patient social media policy and keep it under review
  • Make sure your policy cross references with your complaints procedure
  • Be mindful about which social media platform you choose – it needs to be right for your practice and it must be managed
  • Have a staff social media policy
  • Publish a code of conduct on your practice website
  • Don’t post anything that you aren’t happy to appear elsewhere and that you wouldn’t be prepared to say face to face.