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Social Media Policy for Podiatrists

Discussion in 'Australia' started by Craig Payne, Feb 17, 2014.

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  1. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.
    I deliberately left 'Australia' and 'AHPRA' out of the title to get a wider group reading this for comments. The Australian Health Professional Registration Authority a few days ago released their Social Media Policy (attached). I have previously whined that despite the rhetoric of "consultation", we were never given the opportunity to comment during the process ... but put that to one side.

    The policy is a bit of a non-event. Here is the nuts of it:
    Which is just reminding everyone to comply with other guidelines when posting stuff online! ie:
    ...and that is basically the "policy".

    This bit did jump out at me:
    So if you are biased and post unsubstantiated claims in social media, then you are in breach of the policy!! It is a shame that there is nothing that can be done about those who are not registered health professionals from making biased and unsubstantiated claims.
     

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  2. surfboy

    surfboy Active Member

    This is pretty disgusting. You'd surely think that after paying yearly registration fees of over four hundred dollars, that we could be properly consulted with respect to the wording of this. A very good point about non-registered practitioners being able to conduct themselves without the Authority tapping them on the shoulder.
     
  3. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    Technically we were given the opportunity to comment; but the requests for comments on the social media policy was buried in a larger consult and not widely distributed or attention brought to it.
     
  4. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    It fits in with HCPC regs here in the UK.........:dizzy:
     
  5. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    I found this on the HCPC policy:
     

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  6. toomoon

    toomoon Well-Known Member

    The whole thing make you wonder Craig... I am not allowed to call myself a sports podiatrist.. This despite the fact I have as a consultant podiatrist:
    attended 4 Olympic Games
    2 Track and Field World Championships
    3 National Track and Field Championships
    been appointed to a NBL team, A WNBL Team, The Australian Institute of Sport Cricket Academy, The England and Wales Cricket Academy, An AFL team, and an SANFL team.
    I am a Fellow of the Australian Sports Medicine Federation, the first podiatrist to ever be awarded this fellowship, and a Fellow of The Australian Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine.
    I am also a Fellow of Melbourne University at the Centre for Heath Exercise and Sports Medicine and the University of Staffordshire in the UK. I remain the only podiatrist in the world to ever hold a commission position with the International Federation of Sports Medicine.
    For 22 years I have had an exclusive athlete-only care podiatry practice.. my reception staff will not take bookings for non-sports patients... but......
    I am not a sports podiatrist...AHPRA say I am not so it must be so... I just wonder sometimes what DOES make a sports podiatrist, coz I see plenty of people calling themselves that...
     
  7. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    Simon - I can understand the reasoning behind this and have taken some heat for being sympathetic to the rationale, even if I not in full agreement with it.

    My take on it is (and this is based on nothing official from the Board, but an numerous discussions over the yrs with key players) that the status of 'specialist' is not going to be dished out to any group that just wants it (ie surgical, sports, diabetes, paediatric, tiddlywinks, ingrown toenails, etc). There has to be criteria and where do you draw the line at how many specialties that there are?

    To make a case for "specialist" status, the specialty has to demonstrate that what they do is something that a generalist can't do. 'Surgery' has 'specialist' status as what a 'surgical podiatrist' does on a day-to-day basis is something that a 'general podiatrist' does not and can not do.

    The problem with achieving that status for a "sports podiatrist" is that everything that a sports podiatrist does can be done by a 'general podiatrist'. The 'sports podiatrist' probably does it a lot more often and probably does it lot better than the 'general podiatrist', but everything that the sports podiatrist does can be done by a general podiatrist (unlike that of a 'surgical podiatrist'). The same applies to 'paediatric podiatrist' - the 'paediatric podiatrist' does it more often and a lot better that the 'general podiatrist' (esp the neuro stuff), but there is nothing that a 'paediatric podiatrist' does that a 'general podiatrist' can't do.

    The exception here may be the 'diabetes or high risk podiatrist'. Up until recently they were probably in the same position as there was nothing that a 'diabetes or high risk podiatrist' could do that a 'general podiatrist' did (or they did not want to do it!). HOWEVER, that has started to change recently as some 'diabetes or high risk podiatrists' now have admission rights to hospital and access to more advanced wound care modalities that a 'general podiatrist' does not - so a case could be made to specialist recognition of 'diabetes or high risk podiatrist'.

    I know AAPSM has made representations to APODC and the Board(s) previously on this and it never really got anywhere based on what I understand to be the above logic or rationale - not saying I agree with it; just saying I am sympathetic to the reasoning.

    For 'sports' to get recognized as a specialty and hence use the title 'sports podiatrist', then AAPSM is probably going to have to convince the 'powers to be' that what a 'sports podiatrist' does is different to that of a 'general podiatrist'. Just demonstrating that what a sports podiatrist' does is better than what a 'general podiatrist' does is probably not going to be sufficient (which would explain why previous representations have not gone anywhere) ---- the same would apply to other specialties wanting recognition.

    I know a lot of people are called themselves "sports podiatrists" and the Board might probably have a problem with that. Claiming to have 'specialist' status when none exists is problematic. On the other hand, I have no issues with the use of the term "podiatrist, with a special interest in sports".
     
  8. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    In the UK the HCPC stance on this is that they are happy as long as the practitioner does not set out to deliberately mislead the public.
     
  9. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    Thanks David

    The issue is the claiming to have expertise when that expertise is not recognized by the Board. Simon obviously has the expertise and is recognised by his peers as having that expertise, but the Board does not have the criteria in place to recognize any expertise other than surgical.

    Should the Board let every general Podiatrist use the term 'sports podiatrist' .... just as a marketing ploy and they happened to treat a corn on someone who plays golf????
     
  10. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    AHPRA tries to clarify social media rules
    Full story
     
  11. mr2pod

    mr2pod Active Member

    I was somewhat surprised to see the AHPRA guideline distributed as a Word document.
     
  12. LuckyLisfranc

    LuckyLisfranc Well-Known Member

    From the Medical Observer;
     
  13. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    For those in Australia, AHPRA just released this:
    Twitter chat with AHPRA CEO Martin Fletcher Fri 28 March, 12pm AEST
     
  14. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    Medical board to rewrite social media rules
     
  15. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    From the UK:

    Press Release:
    Paramedic suspended for offensive Facebook remarks about Mid Staffs campaigner
     
  16. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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  17. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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  18. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    Press Release:
    Paramedic struck off for offensive Facebook posts
     
  19. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    In the UK:

    Press Release:
    HCPC launches consultation on guidance for social media
     
  20. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    Press Release:
    HCPC releases Guidance on social media
    04/09/2017 - 10:29

    Guidance on social media

    The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) has today released new Guidance on social media.


    This guidance explains to registrants how to use social media in a way which meets our standards. It focuses on issues registrants and other stakeholders come across most frequently, and was informed by an online workshop and a consultation.


    The Guidance is divided into four sections which includes top tips and using social media in line with HCPC standards.


    Some of the top tips are:
    • 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. Remember that privacy settings 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 unless you have their permission.


    HCPC Director of Policy and Standards Michael Guthrie said:

    “The vast majority of registrants who use social media already do so responsibly, in line with our standards, and without any difficulties at all. However, we know that registrants sometimes have questions or concerns about using social media because they want to make sure that they always meet our standards.

    This guidance explains what our standards mean when using social media. We have structured part of the guidance under the areas of our standards which apply to the appropriate use of social media.”
    The guidance has been created in response to feedback that professionals would value published guidance from us which provides reassurance and the confidence that they are meeting the HCPC’s Standards of conduct, performance and ethics when using social media.

    The guidance is complementary to other guidance, such as that produced by some professional bodies to support their members in getting the most from this technology.


    You can download the HCPC’s Guidance for social media, and learn more about using social media in line with our standards here: www.bit.ly/2gEFFm3

    The HCPC will be holding a tweetchat focusing on the new guidance from 6.30pm on Tuesday September 12, 2017. Join in by following @The_HCPC and using the hashtag #my_guidance.
     
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