Five steps to dealing with... social media and online conduct

The AOP’s Henry Leonard shares his five tips for staying out of trouble on social media

3 min read

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18 September 2026

In an increasingly digital world, healthcare professionals should be mindful about how they conduct themselves online. Comments posted on social media or other online forums may form part of a fitness to practise investigation, even if they are unrelated to the practitioner’s professional role.

Here, the AOP’s head of clinical and regulatory, Henry Leonard, shares his top tips for staying out of trouble in the online world.

1 Be mindful of the GOC’s standards when posting online, even in private forums

Registrants should remember that, in line with the General Optical Council’s (GOC) standards, they must always protect their patient’s privacy, maintain appropriate boundaries, be honest and trustworthy, and not damage the reputation of the profession through their conduct. This includes how they behave online.

2 Maintain appropriate boundaries with patients when using social media

Social media can be a great way to share updates, promote services, communicate with patients, and share professional insights with colleagues, but it’s important for practitioners to ensure that any content or comments they share remains professional at all times, and maintains appropriate boundaries.

Social media can be a great way to share updates… but it’s important to ensure that any content or comments remain professional at all times

3 Use social media positively

Practitioners can use social media positively to engage professionally and respectfully with the optometric and wider community. They must refrain from making unnecessary or disparaging comments about colleagues. If a practitioner has a legitimate concern about a colleague, where patient or public safety may be at risk, they may need to raise this through a formal process. The AOP’s clinical and regulatory team can offer advice and guidance on raising concerns about a colleague. AOP members can contact the team directly by email for advice.

4 Do not post identifiable patient information on social media without their explicit consent

Do not post patient identifiable information on social media, unless you have their full and explicit consent, even following a negative review.Practices should respond to negative reviews published online, but in most cases the response should be limited to politely asking the patient to contact the practice so their concerns can be addressed. It’s extremely important to avoid commenting publicly on any concerns raised, or disclosing any personal information relating to the complainant, even if the complainant has referred to this in their post.

5 Be aware of the professional risks of posting content on social media, including sharing political or other views

Practitioners should remember that much of what they post online may be visible to the public, and even comments posted in a private forum can be used as the basis of a complaint or civil litigation, such as a claim for defamation.

Healthcare regulators also treat these issues very seriously. Examples of this include: a case in May 2024 where a nurse was erased from the Nursing and Midwifery Council register for using language in posts on social media which was “grossly offensive, prejudicial and discriminatory in nature,” and another in July 2024, where a medical practitioner was suspended for 10 months for sending “extremely offensive” words of a racist nature in WhatsApp messages.

For advice and assistance on this topic, AOP members can contact the association’s clinical and regulatory team via email.

For further insight on this topic, practitioners can access the NHS’s guidance on social media use.