Social Media Policy

Current as of: March 2024

Introduction

This policy provides guidance for members of the practice on using social media internally and externally. The policy helps identify and mitigate risks associated with social media use.

Definition

For the purposes of this policy, ‘social media’ is online social networks used to disseminate information through online interaction. This includes, but is not limited to; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, any personal blogs, content sharing websites such as YouTube, Reddit and any public commentary you may make (such as a comment/response to any post on social media).

Purpose

Regardless of whether social media is used for business-related activity or for personal reasons, the following policy requirements apply to all GPs and practice staff of the practice. GPs and practice staff are legally responsible for their online activities, and if found to be in breach of this policy could face a warning, disciplinary action or employment termination depending on the severity of the breach. Our social media policy is designed to protect the privacy of our patients and all staff affiliated with the clinic.

Use of practice social media accounts

The practice will appoint a staff member as a social media officer responsible for managing and monitoring the practice’s social media accounts. All posts on the practice’s social media website must be approved by this staff member. The practice reserves the right to remove any content at its own discretion. At the time of writing Glenmount Medical Clinic has no social media platforms and as such no staff member should be posting online on behalf of the clinic. If you see/hear of any person claiming to represent Glenmount Medical Clinic on a social media platform please advise the Practice Manager immediately.

Staff conduct on social media

When using the practice’s social media, practice staff will not:

• post any material that
• is unlawful, threatening, defamatory, pornographic, inflammatory, menacing or offensive
• infringes or breaches another person’s rights (including intellectual property rights) or privacy, or misuses the practice’s or another person’s confidential information (eg do not submit confidential information relating to our patients, personal information of staff, or information concerning the practice’s business operations that have not been made public)
• is materially damaging or could be materially damaging to the practice’s reputation or image, or another individual
• is in breach of any of the practice’s policies or procedures
• use social media to send unsolicited commercial electronic messages, or solicit other users to buy or sell products or services or donate money
• impersonate another person or entity (eg by pretending to be someone else or another practice employee or other participant when you submit a contribution to social media) or by using another’s registration identifier without permission
• tamper with, hinder the operation of, or make unauthorised changes to the social media sites
• knowingly transmit any virus or other disabling feature to or via the practice’s social media account, or use in any email to a third party, or the social media site
• attempt to do or permit another person to do any of these things
• claim or imply that you are speaking on the practice’s behalf, unless you are authorised to do so
• disclose any information that is confidential or proprietary to the practice, or to any third party that has disclosed information to the practice
• be defamatory, harassing or in violation of any other applicable law
• include confidential or copyrighted information (eg music, videos, text belonging to third parties)
• violate any other applicable policy of the practice.

Monitoring social media sites

The practice’s social media channels are part of our customer service and should be monitored and dealt with regularly.

Testimonials

The practice complies with AHPRA national law and takes reasonable steps to remove testimonials that advertise their health services (which may include comments about the practitioners themselves). The practice is not responsible for removing (or trying to have removed) unsolicited testimonials published on a third-party website or in social media accounts over which they do not have control.

Personal social media use

Staff are free to personally engage in social media outside of work hours, as long as their actions do not have the potential to bring the practice into disrepute. Employees may not represent personal views expressed as those of this practice.

Any social media posts by staff on their personal social media platforms must not reveal confidential information about the practice or a person who uses the practice (e.g. staff should not post information relating to patients or other staff, or information concerning the practice’s business operations that have not been made public).

Staff should respect copyright, privacy, fair use, financial disclosure and other applicable laws when publishing on social media platforms.

Please note that this policy applies following the cessation of employment at the clinic.

As a clinic we request the following rules to be followed when using personal social media at any time including out of work hours:

• Do not identify yourself as working for/at the practice
• Do not refer to the practice, other practice staff or contractors without their approval.
• Do not post any photos from inside the workplace that could capture documents, paperwork, patient charts, or other information protected by privacy law.
• Do not disclose patient information
• Do not accept ‘friend’ requests from people you know solely as a patient of the practice
• Do not disclose any confidential information relating to practice systems

If a post is made that identifies yourself as an employee of Glenmount Medical Clinic in any way (including a photo in work uniform or a work colleague) the clinic requires you caption the post with ‘The views expressed in this post are mine and do not reflect the views of the practice of which I am a member’.

Use of personal social media within work hours should only occur when a staff member is on break. Use of social media should in no way interfere with your work.

Breach of policy

All social media activities must be in line with this policy. If you are found to have breached this policy you will be required to delete any relevant posts and may face disciplinary action at the discretion of the Practice Manager and Practice Owner.

Policy review statement

This policy will be reviewed every 12 months to ensure it is up to date with changes in social media or relevant legislation. If a change is made to this policy you will be notified by the practice manager either individually or at a staff meeting.