As a medical professionals, you spend most of your time taking life and changing decisions for your patients. Everyone needs something which they do out of work as a hobby including all of you. A few prominent British doctors took to the power of the internet and social media and made them stressbusters. They spread awareness that gives us a glimpse at what life looks like. For instance, when you are a doctor in the UK healthcare industry.
Benefits of being a doctor on social media
The benefits of using social media for medical professionals can be very noticeable, but it is important to be aware of the risks. The following are a few benefits of having a large following on a social media platform: –
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You can build a large network of doctors: –
They can be from your own field of medicine or a variety of different fields. This helps you learn more from the experience of other medical professionals and follow recent medical breakthroughs. It can also increase your knowledge of other specialties and help you find a new passion if you need it.
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It can be extremely beneficial for current or prospective medical students: –
They can get a taste of what life actually looks like after becoming a medical professionals in a particular specialty. It will help them make informed decisions with first-hand knowledge instead of just reading about it. Students can also reach out to doctors through social media platforms and ask questions. It can also help them discover interests in various specialties and give them choices.
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Campaigning and spreading awareness: –
If you have a passion for something in your specialty or a specific topic in another specialty, you can use social media platforms to make people aware of it. It can be a social issue of interest too such as blood donation. Platforms like Instagram and Twitter can be used as brilliant marketing tools and can promote sign-ups. Awareness of topics that aren’t spoken about freely like sexual health and menstruation can be made using social media.
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Increases the knowledge of patients and improves the quality of care: –
Patients normally do not have much of a clue about the treatments or the medicines which are being given to them. When they read up on their illness, information coming from medical professionals to social media is bound to be more accurate than other sources. If one doctor learns something which can help treat patients better or faster, he can share it on his social media. Other doctors in relevant fields can implement these practices around the world thereby improving overall patient care.
Most famous medical professional influencers in the UK
A few of the most famous influencers in the UK healthcare sector are: –
Dr. Jacyntha Khera: –
She is an NHS Anaesthetic and Intensive Care doctor who works and lives in London. Dr. Jacyntha shares useful information about the Covid – 19 pandemic all throughout 2020 and 2021. She made the general public aware by providing breakdowns of the covid alert levels at different stages, which explained the government’s strategy in detail as well. She gives daily updates about the happenings of her life inside the hospital. Interesting content like updates on how her first night shift went can be found on her social media. She has also expressed her opinion on topics like nurses not gaining enough respect. Therefore, she was given an interview for medical students to be candid on what they should express.
Dr. Anita Mitra: –
She calls herself the ‘Gynae Geek’ and lives and works in London. Obstetrics and Gynaecology is her specialty and she spreads awareness on gynecological issues. Her aim is to promote free conversation and educate women on the different features of the vagina. Her website is www.gynaegeek.com and she has written a book called ‘’Your No-Nonsense Guide to Down There’’. When her practice slowed down during the pandemic and she would write long Instagram captions. This would make interactive posts on her day-to-day life as a doctor for her followers.
Dr. Hazel Wallace: –
She is a Medical Doctor who aims to inspire her patients and those around her on how to help many people improve their health on her Instagram. She is a nutritionist who offers advice on her blog, The Food Medic, which she started in 2012 as a Medical Student. To be able to inspire herself to become a healthier and much stronger person. Her website contains all of the information through podcast series, and books, and even makes delicious healthy food recipes for others to try at home. Dr. Hazel is a personal trainer with a passion for the use of exercise as medicine, which she discussed in her TEDxTalk called Movement: The Magic Medicine. This talk was aimed to encourage other doctors to think outside the box when it comes to managing lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.
Things to look out for as a Doctor Influencer
There are a few things that you need to keep in mind while being an influencer in the UK healthcare sector which employers may look down upon: –
- Comments and posts being made at times when you are at work
- The buildings and premises of the hospital being used as settings for a photoshoot
- When hospital equipment is used inappropriately as props.
- Concerns that professional photography equipment can lead to the spread of infections and diseases.
- The potential for complaints from relatives of the patients or patients who happen to be in the background of any photographs you post.
The GMC has also laid out extremely specific guidelines when it comes to the anonymity and confidentiality of the patients. Breaching any of the clauses of the GMC can lead to suspension from your hospital.
The patients should be asked if they want to appear in the social media posts. Also, consent is extremely crucial from both sides. Even if you reveal a name or the disease of the patient by accident, anonymity, and confidentiality get breached which could put you up for legal action.
A few of the GMC guidelines are below: –
- You must treat colleagues fairly and with respect.
- You must make sure that your conduct justifies your patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in the profession.
- When communicating publicly, including speaking to or writing in the media, you must maintain patient confidentiality.
- You should remember when using social media that communications intended for friends or family may become more widely available.
- Many improper disclosures of patient information are unintentional.
- You should not leave patients’ records, or other notes you make about patients, either on paper or on screen, unattended.
Being an influencers while being a medical professionals can be exhausting but rewarding as well. When patients or your followers leave positive comments about your work. Even if it helps them in any way then all the hard work seems worth it.
As a locum medical professionals, you can get more time to engage with your followers on social media. To have the time and energy to build a brand for yourself. You get to choose your hours and the place where you work. Mylocum is the UK’s leading healthcare recruitment agency. We have a lot of vacancies open for you so register now!
You can go visit our website and you can go to the CV-Library to find more job opportunities for All Healthcare Workers.
