Are you using social media safely?

With today being Safer Internet Day, we are taking the opportunity to remind staff and volunteers how to use social media safely.

Below are some tips from the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Guidance on:

• Think before you post. Assume that what you post could be shared and read by anyone.
• Think about who can see what you share and manage your privacy settings accordingly, but remember that this cannot guarantee that something you post will not be publicly visible.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries if you communicate with colleagues, service users or carers.
• Do not post information which could identify a service user.
• Do not post inappropriate or offensive material – if you think something could be inappropriate or offensive, do not post it.
• You may choose to include a disclaimer on your profile that your views are your own, and that they do not represent the views of your employer.

Most people find using social media beneficial and do so without any issues. There is no reason why you shouldn’t keep on using it with confidence and in line with the Trust social media policy.

Please do continue to send us any photos taken in line with the social media policy – we love to see and share these on the Trust’s official social media channels!

Published 7^th February 2023