Doctors are being warned not to respond to amorous approaches from patients on social networking sites like Facebook, by the Medical Defence Union (MDU). Whatever the implicit social rules of such sites, the MDU said it would be wholly inappropriate to respond to a patient making advances in this way.
The MDU is aware of a number of cases where patients have attempted to proposition doctors by sending them an unsolicited message on Facebook or similar sites. But it advises that responding to patients in this way may be seen as overstepping the professional boundary of the doctor/patient relationship. Dr Emma Cuzner, MDU medico-legal adviser, whose article on the hidden dangers of social networking appears in the latest edition of the MDU Journal said: “Some doctors have told the MDU they feel it would be rude not to reply, if only to politely refuse, but given that this is not a professional route of communication, any correspondence of this sort would clearly stray outside the doctor/patient relationship. “We are advising our members about the importance of keeping relationships with patients on a professional footing. This is in line with doctors’ ethical duties not to pursue improper relationships with patients. Doctors could face a GMC investigation if they are accused of overstepping the boundary. They have a duty to maintain the public trust in the profession at all times, in their professional and private lives and not only when at their place of work.”
