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back to article 'NHS bosses must master Twitter, Facebook to halt staff antics'

The author of recent guidance on using social media for nurses and midwives says NHS managers should be able to actively respond to issues around how their staff use social media. Andy Jaeger, assistant director of public and professional communications at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and author of recent guidance …

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  1. Pen-y-gors

    Good advice.

    >"One of things that we say in our advice is that if a manager has responsibility for investing in a >complaint about the use of a social networking site, that they should join the social networking >site so that they understand the mechanics of how it works. People need to familiarise themselves >with this kind of thing," he says.

    ...and so if they're investigating a drug abuse complaint then they should take cocaine so they understand the mechanics of how it works, or if it's a child abuse complaint they should try molesting a child "to understand the mechanics of how it works".

    Facebook - JUST SAY NO!

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      "investing in a complaint"

      That's the bit I don't really understand. How do you invest in a complaint?

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      1. despairing citizen
        Reply Icon
        Headmaster

        Suspect that's "INVESTIGATING a complaint", rather than something about dodgy bond and share deals.

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  2. Anonymous Coward 15
    IT Angle

    This is not a tech issue.

    Whether it is right to befriend patients, disclose confidential information, or publicly criticise your employer, is not changed by the existence of GooMyFaceYouTwit.

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: not a tech issue

      no it's a management and personel issue.

      The NHS, like many organisations, employs many dumb smart people, i.e. the head of oncology carrying around patient records in a carrier bag in the back of his car (yes this does happen)

      And whilst the NHS has a lot of "Managers", it actually has very little "management".

      All that's needed is to gently remind your direct reports that posting stuff on the web about your employer, is the same as giving briefings to journalists, something you do not do, unless authorised, or willing to lose your job.

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  3. EyeCU

    I am familiar with it

    I am familiar with the fact that anything you post is no longer your own

    I am familiar with the fact that privacy settings mean nothing

    I am familiar with the fact that it would allow people from my past to find me even though I no longer wish to speak to them

    I am familiar with the fact that they will do their damnedest to track my surfing habits and sell that information to advertisers

    In fact I am so familiar with the 'mechanics of how it works' that it makes me keep as far away from social media as possible

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  4. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    "There are potentially so many positive benefits. It's an area we're looking at, and we'll be publishing something in the new year on the subject."

    What are those benefits are who are they for? Surely general guidance on what can be said to whom is media independent? Which manager worth their salt has the time necessary as implied by Mr Jaeger to "familiarise" themselves with the media and attend relevant courses? "Social notworking" springs to mind.

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  5. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
    WTF?

    Refuseniks

    I'm all for people understanding social media and being aware of the issues involved but everyone must have a right not to be involved if that's their wish. Especially so if membership requires disclosing any information that a person does not wish to disclose to the site or others.

    Also; what happens if a manager 'falls under its spell', starts to believe the culture they immerse themselves in? A complainant faced with a manager believing defamation or abuse is okay or it's 'fair game' because 'it's only the internet' is probably worse served than someone who doesn't understand the issues.

    I don't need to sign-up to supremacist and racist sites to understand that hate speech is harmful.

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  6. Colin Millar
    Thumb Down

    NHS refuseniks

    Maybe they have some better stuff to do like - oh I don't know - maybe managing some health services.

    "assistant director of public and professional communications"

    Looks like empire building is alive and well in the NMC - bet there's not much N & M going on.

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  7. Jacqui
    Thumb Up

    Obvious BOFH technique?

    1) make an off record complaint about staff possibly on NSFW social group

    2) manager joins group to investigate

    3) anon complaint to police that "Mr munger" is looking at said NSFW stuff from his work PC.

    4) Police interview him, he admits looking but gives the "research/for work" excuse.

    6) Police take his desktop and find NSFW images in browser cache

    6) useless manager down the inter-tubes

    Rinse and repeat until you get a manager that does his real job - helping you do your job!

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  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    No need to participate

    Just mention it in future contracts of employment.

    "All photographs taken on school/hospital/company property must be authorised by your line manager before use on the internet"

    They wont be authorised of course but anyone using a photo for bullying/intimidation without following the process will be at risk of disciplinary action.

    Of course if said colleague was pictured chundering into a wheely bin after one too many Lambrini's thats fair game.

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  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    meh...

    I'm not a 'health professional'. I'm not a social media user. I understand that many suppliers to and users of the NHS are and derive (great?) value from it.

    That being said Social media are all to often (seems to me from what I read and hear) to be used for too many of the wrong purposes and open up not just the users directly but many more 'innocent parties' to inappropriate exposure.

    If the objective is to equip managers on how to coach colleagues in the risks and responsible benefits then that is a good idea. If the objective is to promote social media use then it is a bloody daft idea and I object to my taxes being squandered on it. Get Glaxo, or Pfizer or some of the other big players in Pharma and OTC to run courses.

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  10. James Gosling

    What utter nonsense

    These organizations don't seem to realize how foolish they make themselves appear when they try to embrace the latest thing. Unless it enables you to do your job better you should be discouraged from engaging in what is predominantly a distraction to the serious work.

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  11. Mike 137 Silver badge
    Stop

    not "as seriously" but more seriously

    I'm concerned about the idea that posting on a social network is in any way comparable to pinning a photo on an internal noticeboard. See http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/twenty-something-asks-facebook-his-file-and-gets-it-all-1200-pages-121311 to find out one of the big differences

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