chat websites

This is certainly a worrying trend, however I think and I hope that is a training issue that needs to be addressed. I know of many staff that have internet accounts but wouldn't dream of naming names and certainly not pictures.

Hopefuly it is just another training issue that needs to be filtered through, to all care home staff.

I myself use social networking sites however the idea of violating confidentiality of a patient by posting pictures/comments has and will never cross my mind.
From my experience people use these sites as a way to express their emotions and thoughts, but it seems like many people don't think before they post either that or they don't care what they post.
It isn't just the use of a "home's camera" that is the issue it is the use of modern day technology- most phones have cameras built in and within seconds pictures can be posted or comments can be made using these phones.
In order to maintain confidentiality is it right that staff members loose their right to carry their phones and be banned from bringing these items into work in order to protect patient/client dignity??
Modern day society has so many great technological advances within healthcare and in a social/lifestyle sense but are these advances impacting on the care being provided?

I am shocked that confidentiality is constantly being breached. Senior staff members cannot always spoon-feed junior members of staff into the do's and dont's of what is either right or wrong. Surely this issue needs to be addressed sooner rather than later,but it does appear to be a some what later issue now. I myself am very stringent about staff carrying mobile phones in their uniform pockets whilst on duty,this as i have catorgorically stated,will and is not allowed full-stop. You will always of course get the one junior member of staff pushing the boundries at all costs, but this again needs to be addressed immenently and a disciplinary given,as how do we prevent this breach of confidentiality occuring if when it does happen, nothing is really done. In my view,hard may it seem, the offenders should be either disciplined to a state where a warning is given, and dissmissed if they committ same offence again. Surely our job is to protect the vunerable older adults that do not have the capacity to say no. Appologies to all if i have offended at all, that is not my intention, it is simply that i am so compasionate regarding my role that why should individuals that are vulnerable continue being exploited by bigots.

That's crazy. The thought of taking pictures of a service user.

I work in a radiology (X-ray) department in a fairly large city hospital. Due to its size staff that I work with use locker rooms that cater for literally hundereds of people, and are not secure, with frequent break-ins by ill reputed members of the public.

Therefore it is reccommended that we carry personal items with us, this includes wallets, phones, keys etc. Some staff will bring in their hand bags and stow them in the clinical rooms to which they are assigned.

So it's not always possible to ban the carriage of phones. But at the same time, the thought of staff photographing patients - permission or not is absolutely shocking. This kind of offence at my place of work may lead to dissmisal.

WOW! that is so worrying!

My first thoughts are of course about the huge breach of confidentialty, and posting details and pictures of residents without their knowledge and consent is abuse....................this constitutes gross misconduct and should be dealt with accordingly.

Now I've taken another breath, I would question (with my managers hat on) how on earth do staff have the time to be chatting on sites when they are working???????

I know you can access things like facebook and Twitter etc from mobile phones, but what are staff doing with their mobile phones on them and switched on whilst working????????

As a previous homes manager I was very strict with all staff over the use and carrying of phones - they were only allowed to switch them on and use them on breaks. I would absolutely not allow access to the internet by staff for personal stuff whilst they were working and set up my computers in the home accordingly.

If this kind of appaling practice is found to be going on then not only the staff be effectively disciplined but the managers also!

I realise that often circumstances can be difficult and not always fully explained in posts but I would add that if as a practitioner, I saw this happening then I would be whistleblowing very loudly.

Please reassure me that this appaling practice has been duly reported and dealt with by now - original post is dated April.

Most carers will hopefully have received very timely updates of policies with regard to Social Networks, whether they work in NHS or other organisations. The photograph issue is in some ways easy to deal with. It is a breach and willlead to being dismissed and the provider company may be taken to court. What is more concerning is the " casual" remark in e.g. FACEBOOK where workplaces and even clients/patients can be identified by a comment or careless-(is it?) remark. This is a matter which employers should deal with immediatly, and hopefully, as most of you mention already, is a vital part of staff training etc. It should also be part of any employee contract.

There should also be a note of caution when adding " friends" to FACEBOOK etc, particularly if that " friend" is a client/customer or patient. This is perhaps more relevent in the caring world of LD, Dementia etc. Ask your employers about this as you may, although with good intention, be breaking a company or professional policy. My advice is to seek local advice and to know how you can further protect both your clints/patient and yourself as a carer. Standards must remain high in order to produce good practice. keep up the good work! . D

I'm sorry ,but I just can't believe this is happening, certainly an eye opener,further confirmation of training needs and the message being never assume !

I believe any relative or friend of someone in care would understandably be upset if confidentiality was breached

Apologies, think my comment may have been misinterpreted. I cannot believe that carers would consider breaching confidentiality in this way, I assumed this would not be the case !

I cant believe this happens but unfortunately is does but there is a couple of things i cant understand and that is why would staff want to put photos of residents on their profile in the first place and why are they taking pictures of the residents in the first place? This is totally breaching confidentiality and people shouldnt be doing it! There has also been cases where staff having been bad mouthing other staff members who they work with on their profile! This is another thing i don't agree with as this could be classed as bullying that member of staff!

This is one of the many issues with social networking/ chat sites and it is quite easily done without thinking. But, we do need to think very carefully about the information we share on these sites. I use Twitter and Facebook purely for work purposes and I have a strict guideline as to what I share - I want my followers to know what I am doing, but I never share details of individuals nor any images of people. Not too long ago we were up in arms in response to the increased use of surveillance cameras and how intrusive they are to our lives, now we seem to share personal details of ourselves and others willingly to people we don't even know! Personally I think it should be disciplinary offence as we all sign up to a code of conduct when we are employed.

I have to respond to this I think, in particular to Dawud Marsh's comments: - "This is one of the many issues with social networking/ chat sites and it is quite easily done without thinking."
With respect Dawud, I can find absolutely no excusing or reasoning that this "is easily done without thinking" if someone is doing this easily without thinking, then as far as I am concerned, it is Gross Misconduct, is Abuse, and needs treating as such, it is NOT "easily done, it is I would think very difficult to write about service users/clients/patients whatever your terminology is, or take/post photo's without realising the impact of immediate breach of confidentiality as the absolute minimum, and why on earth any worker would have photo's of individuals they support on their own equipment is beyond me. - and if on work equipment why? chat websites are for chatting on about anything you wish in your own free time, but NOT individuals we as workers support. - They deserve our total respect, dignity, and confidentiality, - NOTHING less will do!

Mac McKechnie, I agree with you. My point was not whether staff share particular client info, but how easily we share personal information to people we don't even know. To carry images of those we work with is a misconduct issue and as I said, if someone posted info about their clients or others they work with then it is a straight disciplinary issue. Maybe I was not so clear on that, but thank you for pointing it out. I wouldn't want people to think that is was easy to share images/ info about people we work with, I was just illustrating how easy it is to share personal info on social networking and chat sites.

Dawud
------Original Message------
From: Mac McKechnie
To: [log in to view email address]
ReplyTo: [log in to view email address]
Subject: [Dignity Champions Discussion Forum] - Re: chat websites
Sent: 26 Apr 2011 18:06

I have to respond to this I think, in particular to Dawud Marsh's comments: - "This is one of the many issues with social networking/ chat sites and it is quite easily done without thinking."
With respect Dawud, I can find absolutely no excusing or reasoning that this "is easily done without thinking" if someone is doing this easily without thinking, then as far as I am concerned, it is Gross Misconduct, is Abuse, and needs treating as such, it is NOT "easily done, it is I would think very difficult to write about service users/clients/patients whatever your terminology is, or take/post photo's without realising the impact of immediate breach of confidentiality as the absolute minimum, and why on earth any worker would have photo's of individuals they support on their own equipment is beyond me. - and if on work equipment why? chat websites are for chatting on about anything you wish in your own free time, but NOT individuals we as workers support. - They deserve our total respect, dignity, and confidentiality, - NOTHING less will do!

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

I agree with the above about the posting of comments about any clients and pictures of clients/service users. This should never happen. and at my firm we are often reminded that it is unprofessional to use any Network sites to discuss Clients, and if it happens there will be disciplinary taking place.

I myself am a keen photographer and if ever i'm asked by any client or service user or i wanted to take a photograph of any of my Clients or service users i would first ask my Manager and seek written permission from the family before doing so.
But they would never appear on any social site

I am just going over my comments on a number of threads. On this one re -chat sites- another word of caution, following a recent investigation. A potentially very serious error was made by a carer. On reviewing the case, it was noted that the carer had, only a few short hours before starting an early shift, commented that...." Brilliant night. Who needs sleep. Will need to sober up before 7am. Roll on the rest of the weekend!"( or words very similar!). Again it is worth looking at our own practice. Dstewart2

There are quite a few things that additionally worry me here. Where is the concern for the dignity of the person. Would any of us want photos taken of us whilst in hospital and posted on a website.? Secondly, I think discussing this type of caring work on an open website is very dangerous. There will always be a tendency to give descriptions of situations in order to explain what happened etc. And this then leads to breaches in confidentiality. Questions have to be asked aboout the training and integrity of staff who don't see they are doing anything wrong putting the details of vulnerable people up on such websites. Surley common sense must have a part to play here.? Lastly, if staff feel the need to discuss their work where is the support for them whilst at work, to discuss emotions and situations, ie supervision.?