As with all aspects of professional conduct and behaviour, it’s important to understand professional obligations on social media.

The Physiotherapy Board of Australia has a social media policy to help guide practitioners when they are using any internet-based communication.

‘In using social media, health practitioners should be aware of their obligations under the National Law and their Board’s Code of Conduct,’ Physiotherapy Board of Australia Chair Kim Gibson said.

‘The Board may consider social media in your private life, even if there is no link to you as a registered health practitioner, if it raises concerns about your fitness to hold registration.’

While you may think you are engaging in social media in a private capacity because you do not state you are a registered practitioner, it’s relatively easy for anyone to check your status through the register or make connections using available pieces of information.

There have been several recent cases relating to practitioners who have come before the tribunals for social media use in breach of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, which is in force in each state and territory.

A tribunal reprimanded and suspended a nurse for 20 months in September 2021 after he published ‘disgraceful’ content about women on social media.

The social media posts were made to a closed ‘pick-up artist’ group of Facebook.

In May 2021, a medical practitioner was suspended for two months for professional misconduct for sending inappropriate Facebook Messenger communications to a patient that were personal in nature.

In January 2021, a registered nurse who put offensive statements on Facebook had his registration cancelled for professional misconduct.

The comments posted on the nurse’s Facebook page were open to the public and were a mixture of racially, culturally and sexually offensive statements.

They also contained vilifying content.

Regardless of whether you are posting or communicating publicly or privately, you need to remain aware of your professional obligations.

It is also your responsibility to know who can see your communications.

Make sure you know and understand the relevant security and privacy settings.

There are examples on the Board’s website of scenarios involving patient confidentiality, cultural awareness and patient beliefs, professionalism and professional boundaries.

Public health messages

There has been much discussion and controversy surrounding social media and COVID-19 vaccination.

‘We have been made aware of concerns about the conduct of some health practitioners engaged in online discussion, including in semi-private forums,’ Kim said.

Community trust in registered health practitioners is essential.

While you may hold personal beliefs about the efficacy or safety of some public health initiatives, any comments you make on social media must be consistent with the codes, standards and guidelines of your profession and must not contradict or counter public health campaigns or messaging.

A registered health practitioner who makes comments or endorses or shares information that contradicts the best available scientific evidence may be in breach of their professional responsibilities.

Practitioners also need to take care when commenting, sharing or ‘liking’ such content if not supported by the best available scientific evidence.

Advertising

The National Law and advertising guidelines also apply to advertising in social media.

For example, making false claims about the effectiveness of a treatment that are not supported by acceptable evidence on a Facebook site that advertises a practitioner or their clinic is misleading and is considered a breach of the National Law.

Advertising in social media that uses testimonials is also in breach of the law.

Click here for more information on relevant codes, guidelines and policies and here for social media guidance. For registration enquiries, call 1300 419 495 (from within Australia) or (+613) 9285 3010 (for overseas callers).