…some dental professionals have

found themselves in hot water after join-ing groups mocking

patients or the profession.

When it comes to social media, what standards are there for posts by the dental profession? The GDC’s Principles of Ethical Advertising states that: “All information or public-ity material regarding dental services should be legal, decent, honest and truthful.”

Standard 4.2.3 of the GDC’s Standards for the Dental Teams states: “You must not post any information or comments about patients on social networking or blogging sites and there is more guidance on the GDC website.”

However, this does not explain how to use social media to a high standard. As there seems to be a bit of a grey area, let’s take “legal, decent, honest, truthful” as a good place to start.

LegaLIn 2014, a Lords Select Committee concluded: “Legislation currently in existence... are enough to ensure that criminal offences committed using social media can be adequately prosecuted.”

Under the CPS Guidelines on prosecuting cases involving com-munications sent via social media,

prosecutors are advised to distin-guish between communications sent via social media as:

• Credible threats of violence to the person or damage to property

• May constitute harassment or stalking within the meaning of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997

• May amount to a breach of a court order

• May be considered grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or false.

While this reflects the more extreme cases, it is good to know the law when it comes to social media.

DecentAll the social media platforms have rules regarding decency, as professionals you will already know what’s ethically right.

Be cautious about social networking sites that allow groups to interact about their jobs. The DDU warns: “In the past some dental professionals have found themselves in hot water after joining groups mocking pa-tients or the profession.”

honestThe Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is one of a number of regulatory bodies that takes a proactive supervisory approach to the social media ac-tivity of its members. Following a consultation, it published FG15/4 - Social media and customer com-munications: The FCA’s supervisory approach to financial promotions in social media. This 20-page doc-ument sets out in detail (with right and wrong examples, what is and is not permissible – albeit mainly in the context of promotion of products or services.

truthfuLOn the face of it, being truthful is the same as being honest. Indeed, the Oxford English Dictionary defines truthful as honest and hon-est as truthful. Our recommendation in terms of social media is to ask yourself before you post something: “Am I being economical with the truth?”

CODE members and iComply users can refer to the social media practice policy (M 233-SMD) which is a tem-plate of guidance for the practice team.

sociaL meDia guiDeLines Where are the professional standards?

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recommendations 02coDe template updates 02the elephant who stole the show 03stay connected with icomply 04new dementia video are your patients recording you? feeling extreme?

NEWSLETTERDECEMBER 2015codeuk.com

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Have you ever thought about what a visit to the dentist – and the subsequent follow-up calls regarding treatment and appointments – feels like for someone who has dementia?

To gain an understanding of what someone is going through, we often try to put ourselves in that person’s shoes but this can be difficult when we have no grasp of how a condition can take hold. Health Education England has put together a fantastic video, available to view on its website, hee.nhs.uk, that highlights what such a patient really goes through, to give us all a better understanding.

CODE members and iComply users can refer to the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults practice policy template (M 290, action plan (M290-A), flowchart (M290-B), and list of contacts (M290-E).

The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, announced by the Prime Minister in July, has produced its first paper, Antimicrobial Resistance: Tackling a Crisis for the Future Health and Wealth of Nations (download at: www.amr-review.org). It states: “There could be profound health and macroeconomic consequences for the world, especially in emerging economies, if antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is not tackled.”

With two-thirds of antibiotics needlessly prescribed, “just in case,” the report calls for the introduction of new diagnostic tests to help stem overuse: “Advances in genetics, genomics and computer science will likely change the way that infections and new types of resistance are diagnosed, detected and reported worldwide, so that we can fight back faster when bacteria evolve to resist drugs. These same technological advances will in the future deliver rapid diagnostic tools, which will in time improve the way we use antibiotics, antimalarials, and HIV and TB drugs.” The test would be to identify whether an infection is viral or bacterial, as only bacterial infections respond to antibiotics.

Chairman of the review, Jim O’Neill, said: “For far too long we haven’t recognised the huge cost to society of increasing resistance when we use antibiotics that we don’t need.

“To avoid the tragedy of 10 million people dying every year by 2050, the world needs rapid diagnostics to improve our use of antibiotics.

“They are essential to get patients the right treatment, cut down on the huge amount of unnecessary use and make our drugs last for longer.”

The Managing Prescription Drugs (M 268) module has been updated to include guidance on the new requirements for antibiotic stewardship and a new, optional antimicrobials audit. It is available now for iComply users to download.

Over the next month we will be releasing a series of modules each week to all members via the iComply application.

Our research has indicated that some of these will need to be implemented immediately to meet the requirements of CQC inspectors in England and HIW inspectors in Wales. Due to the significance of these modules, it is important to keep check-ing the news section in your iComply application.

Modules to implement now:

• A new fridge temperature log if you keep drugs in a fridge

• A new Standard Operating Procedure if you keep controlled drugs

• A Welsh Infection Control Improvement Plan

• A new Compressor Log.

The essential updates to come:

• Part 1: Complaints, Problems and Events

• Part 2: Managing Drugs • Part 3: Cross Infection

Control• Part 4: Gas Safety/Labs/

HIW registration.

We work hard to keep iComply modules updated by staying abreast of all the latest changes in regulations. As an iComply application subscriber, all you have to do is check the news section for important updates and carry out your normal monthly reviews as prompted.

iComply stops compliance becoming the elephant in the room by helping you manage things effectively.

antimicrobiaL resistance recommenDations Calls for diagnostic tests to avert the crisis

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Keep checking your iComply news section

To avoid the tragedy of 10 million people dying every year by 2050, the world needs rapid diagnostics to improve our use of antibiotics.

new Dementia viDeo Highlighting needs

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are your patients recorDing you? Patients may be secretly recording you.

How should you react?

We exhibited at the BDIA Dental Showcase, which gave us the chance to meet lots of iComply users while also taking the opportunity to explain the benefits of the application to new members.

Our stand was a constant hive of activity, with people stopping by to have their photo taken with our elephant! We ran a competition with a bottle of champagne and a £25 online voucher going to the best picture of the day.

Alex O’Neill has gave a mini lecture each day in one of the BDIA Dental Showcase theatres, which were always packed full of people wanting to know the best way to get a handle on their compliance.

Take a look at our Facebook page to see more pictures from the exhibition (facebook.com/icomplyfordentists).

THE ELEPHANT WHO STOLE THE SHOW

Fun and games at the

BDIA Dental Showcase

It may come as a surprise to learn that when it comes to patients covertly recording – or in some cases videoing – a consultation, you are advised to be quite relaxed. As a dental professional, you may be under the impression that a patient would require your permission to record a consultation and that anything recorded covertly would be illegal. This is, in fact, not the case. Under the Data Protection Act 1998, the information in the recording belongs to the patient and the dentist’s consent is not required. This means that patients are within their rights to record consulta-tions and use the information as they wish, whether that be on social media or to challenge the dentist’s actions.

a common occurrenceWhile covert recording may be a new phenomenon to most dentists, it has become quite commonplace elsewhere. There is an app on iTunes that lets you secretly record encounters with police officers. Teachers have secretly recorded lazy pupils to show to their parents.

Acas reports that some employ-ees are secretly recording meetings with managers, intending to use them as evidence at employment tribunals. Although the Honourable Mr Justice Underhill described covert recording as “very distasteful” and “discreditable”, Acas reports that “recordings of disciplinary hearings and subsequent meetings may be

admissible provided the employer has been given the evidence before the tribunal hearing, including both the recording and its transcription so that its veracity can be checked.”

uncomfortabLeMedical Protection advises: “If you feel uncomfortable at the prospect then you should express that discomfort and tell the patient that you would prefer the consultation not to be recorded.”

If the patient insists, you would be ill advised to refuse to treat them but it would be sensible to ask for a copy of the recording, which can be placed with the patient’s records.

what shouLD you Do?Trying to prohibit recordings is unlikely to be a deterrent. The advice from Acas is for managers to assume they are being recorded. In terms of patients, you should continue to keep accurate and comprehensive records of consultations, which can be used to support you actions should there be a complaint.

For dissatisfied staff members, you should not fear covert recordings if you act in a professional manner. It’s much better, of course, to foster an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect within your team and ensure that grievances are dealt with quickly.

confiDentiaLityYou must comply with the require-ments of the legislation governing patient confidentiality: Access to Health Records 1990, Caldicott Guidelines 1997, Confidentiality Code of Practice 1998, Data Protection Act 1998 and the current GDC Standards.

CODE members can access M233-CON Confidentiality Policy, which states: “No images or recordings will be made without the patient’s permission.”

M233-IAC Information and Communication Policy includes: “Personal mobiles should be turned off during working hours” and that: “Access is granted to the internet, telephones and other electronic systems for legitimate business purposes only.”

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As the weather starts to feel colder and gloomier, many of us consider a skiing holiday with family or friends.

However, does this feel a bit old hat, or do you want to try some-thing new to mix things up? We know that there are a fair few dental professionals who are cycling enthusiasts, so how about snow mountain biking? This trend is hitting ski resorts all over the world.

The bikes have fat tyres that are specifically designed for riding in the snow and some resorts, such as Whitewater BC Ski Resort, Canada, (skiwhitewater.com) have designated trails for snow moun-tain biking.

In Val Thorens, France, you can enjoy the experience accompa-nied by a qualified instructor, Gérald Bigot, who will teach you the best techniques. Here, the fun happens after the slopes have closed. Take a look at the video on the Val Thorens website to see it in action! (valthorens.com).

We have been busy working on a new website dedicated to iComply; take a look at www.icomply.cc to find out how

the application can benefit your practice. Existing members can also login from the new site.

Facebook (facebook.com/icomplyfordentists) and Twitter (twitter.com/icompliant) accounts have also been created to bring you the latest compliance and legislation news.

using LinkeDin for recruitmentMore scope for finding the right candidate

feeLing extreme?Merge two hobbies for the ultimate thrill-seeker’s experience

STAY CONNECTED WITH ICOMPLY

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NHS Employers has published a guide to using LinkedIn for re-cruitment stating: “For the NHS, the ability to communicate to can-didates before they apply for a job has created an oppor-tunity to drastically widen the pool of talent they can recruit from and find better matched candidates quicker.” Here, we explain how LinkedIn can be used to recruit employees for your practice.

sign up to LinkeDinYou’ll need to create a LinkedIn profile; we recommend a (free) Basic account. LinkedIn will take you through the easy process of setting up your profile.

You can go on to ‘Connect with others on LinkedIn’ to start creating a personal network. You must do this (and fulfil other criteria) before you can add a Company Page.

Move your cursor over ‘Interests’ at the top of your homepage and select ‘Companies’. Click ‘Create’ in the ‘Create a Company Page’ box on the right. Enter the name of your practice, your email address, a description about your practice and your website.

posting job aDvertisementsAt the top of the company page is the Admin Center and in the white box below ‘Drive engagement’ is where you can advertise vacancies – you can add an attachment with a full job description.