The Guardian (USA)

Doctors could soon face action over ‘misleading’ social media posts

- Tom Ambrose

Doctors who share “misleading” informatio­n on social media could face regulatory action, according to planned new guidelines.

Posts made on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok are among those that could be scrutinise­d by the General Medical Council (GMC) if a doctor is reported.

The council is to update its Good Medical Practice guide, seen by some as a modern-day Hippocrati­c Oath, for the first time in almost a decade.

The latest draft says that doctors must “be honest and trustworth­y, make clear the limits of their knowledge [and] make reasonable checks to make sure any informatio­n given is not misleading”.

It is the first proposed update to the guidance since 2013 and is being put out for consultati­on. The document will also make it a doctor’s duty to act if they become aware of workplace bullying, as well as discrimina­tion and sexual harassment.

“Good medical practice is the bedrock that helps guide ethical practice and supports doctors to provide the best possible care in a world of increasing­ly complex medicine,” said Charlie

Massey, chief executive of the GMC.

“This update is intended to be relevant and helpful to medical profession­als, and to benefit patients, now and for years ahead. There is a lot of evidence of the damage bad workplace cultures can do to patient safety and, ultimately, to the UK’s ability to retain the healthcare profession­als it needs.”

Prof Neil Mortensen, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “Good Medical Practice provides the fundamenta­l ethical principles that all doctors in the UK should follow in order to provide patients with the best care possible.

“A lot has changed in medicine in recent years and the pandemic has exacerbate­d pressures on frontline medical staff.

“It is therefore important to have an opportunit­y to reflect on the profession­al values, knowledge and behaviour expected of our doctors and surgeons.”

 ?? ?? The council is to update its Good Medical Practice guide, seen by some as a modern-day Hippocrati­c Oath. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/ PA
The council is to update its Good Medical Practice guide, seen by some as a modern-day Hippocrati­c Oath. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/ PA

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