Social media guidance from the RCVS

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 10:20:47 GMT

[quote user="Richard Carter"]

could have made it more tricky if used a labrador

[/quote]...or a Beagle!

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Richard Carter — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 10:15:52 GMT

could have made it more tricky if used a labrador

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

bob lehner — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 18:34:23 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]f you would be so kind as to enter this VetSurgeon-hosted competition (and in return, you might win a Fortnum's hamper). [/quote]

Well I've studied the two videos very carefully and I really can't decide - might as well just toss a coin.

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 15:28:51 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]You just gave me a mini-coronary. Thought I'd put a duff link in the email too. Thankfully, I just forgot to add the http:// in the forum link. Fixed now. Here it is.[/quote]That's better. Can I win the ski holiday in Japan instead of the choccies and pop please?

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 14:02:40 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"][quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Though talking of which, you'd help me on my way to the Caymans if you would be so kind as to enter this VetSurgeon-hosted competition (and in return, you might win a Fortnum's hamper). [/quote]The link doesn't connect, comes up with: 'Server error, resource cannot be found'.[/quote]

You just gave me a mini-coronary. Thought I'd put a duff link in the email too. Thankfully, I just forgot to add the http:// in the forum link. Fixed now. Here it is.

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 13:48:53 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Though talking of which, you'd help me on my way to the Caymans if you would be so kind as to enter this VetSurgeon-hosted competition (and in return, you might win a Fortnum's hamper). [/quote]The link doesn't connect, comes up with: 'Server error, resource cannot be found'.

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 13:38:00 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"][quote user="Malcolm Ness"]........ so, will Vetsurgeon be "domiciled" in the Cayman Islands or will you just go for Luxembourg??[/quote]

Laughed out loud. Let's just say that while I'm very pleased with progress, I am a very, very, very long way away from being able to go on holiday in the Cayman Islands, let alone being domiciled there for tax purposes [/quote]

Though talking of which, you'd help me on my way to the Caymans if you would be so kind as to enter this VetSurgeon-hosted competition (and in return, you might win a Fortnum's hamper).

Even if you only get me as far as Basingstoke, that would be much appreciated

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Francisco Gomez — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:36:36 GMT

I'm sure he meant Morrocco

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:26:05 GMT

Watch it Malcolm! That comment might be deemed offensive by the neighbours!

Wynne

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:24:46 GMT

[quote user="Malcolm Ness"]........ so, will Vetsurgeon be "domiciled" in the Cayman Islands or will you just go for Luxembourg??[/quote]

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Malcolm Ness — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:17:45 GMT

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]Best place is Gibraltar! [/quote]

Apart from the neighbours!!!

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Francisco Gomez — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:15:24 GMT

[quote user="Malcolm Ness"]

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Yes, I was rather chuffed about that! Alongside titans like Facebook and Linkedin too.[/quote]

........ so, will Vetsurgeon be "domiciled" in the Cayman Islands or will you just go for Luxembourg??

[/quote]

Best place is Gibraltar!

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Bob Russell — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:07:59 GMT

It was an armoured car, not a tank. More suitable for a rebel but more likely to be taken out by the security forces before reaching Westminster or Whitehall than a tank!

He drives this Mercedes now:

http://www.armouredcars4x4.com/

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Richard Carter — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 10:48:34 GMT

We already knew Arlo was part of the Establishment - he owned a tank!! Anyone who has that in the back yard must be rubbing shoulders with members of Westminster and Whitehall

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Malcolm Ness — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 10:47:08 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Yes, I was rather chuffed about that! Alongside titans like Facebook and Linkedin too.[/quote]

........ so, will Vetsurgeon be "domiciled" in the Cayman Islands or will you just go for Luxembourg??

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 10:27:36 GMT

[quote user="alex gough"]Kudos to Arlo for his site getting a namecheck in official RCVS guidelines though. Does that mean you have officially arrived?

Alex[/quote]

Yes, I was rather chuffed about that! Alongside titans like Facebook and Linkedin too.

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 09:23:56 GMT

[quote user="Wren"]

[quote user="Cat Henstridge"]

"d. remember that innocent references to social activities that might be construed as taking place on duty / on call could be misinterpreted or used as the basis for a complaint"

This bit worries me. Should we therefore not ever say when we are doing anything outside of work, just in case someone might complain? Will the RCVS be looking at FaceBook pages to check up on what we are doing, even if we aren't at work?

[/quote]

I am already creful of this. I might take my horse out for a quick ride out instead of in the school whilst on call - never venturing more than about 10mins shortcut home from the yard. However I never put anything like 'had a lovely ride out on my horse this morning' on FB when I'm on call in case a clients sees it and thinks 'ah, that's why she took half an hour to get to my colic' and complains.

[/quote]Given that I seem to recall that the suggested maximum response time to an emergency call is 30 minutes and it usually takes clients longer than that to get themselves into gear I had little guilt in going for a run or a bike ride with a set of surgery keys in my pocket so I could make a quick divert back. I confess to going a little further than a furious 30 minute bike ride back to the surgery on occasions but I usually had the luxury of a back-up with a friendly local practice if things went tits up. I was only ever caught out once in a career and that was by a client who just rocked up at the surgery and left her partner to call me but there was no way of contacting her as she had no phone.

It matters not now though as I don't do my own OOH unless it suits me.

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Wren — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 09:09:39 GMT

[quote user="Cat Henstridge"]

"d. remember that innocent references to social activities that might be construed as taking place on duty / on call could be misinterpreted or used as the basis for a complaint"

[/quote]

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Alex Gough — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 08:39:29 GMT

Kudos to Arlo for his site getting a namecheck in official RCVS guidelines though. Does that mean you have officially arrived?

Alex

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 17:41:43 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]As far as I know vetsurgeon.org is privately own. 'Working Communities' is an independent limited company. [/quote]

That's right.

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]Are there powers for the RCVS to police its content?[/quote]

No, the RCVS doesn't have any more power over vetsurgeon.org / Working Communities than it has over the BBC or Vet Times (two other media channels which you might appear publicly in).

I think there is a slight danger of overstating the risks. The 99.9% of members who behave professionally (regardless of whether it is on or offline) have nothing to worry about. Even the 0.1% of sarcastic cantankerous buggers probably have very little to fear, unless they post something outrageously defamatory about someone who has the time, money and inclination to kick up a stink. But in that case, I would most likely have removed it anyway, because I personally don't like people being rude to each other in these forums.

(Unless, of course, we are talking homeopathy, in which case all bets are off!)

As you say, I think everyone is pretty good regarding confidentiality, and if anything were to slip, I am usually not far away and can remove things pretty quickly.

So as far as I am concerned, the guidelines really just crystallise what common sense tells us already.

[/quote]

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Francisco Gomez — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 16:22:08 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

So as far as I am concerned, the guidelines really just crystallise what common sense tells us already.

[/quote]

Good to hear!

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 15:52:34 GMT

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]As far as I know vetsurgeon.org is privately own. 'Working Communities' is an independent limited company. [/quote]

That's right.

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]Are there powers for the RCVS to police its content?[/quote]

No, the RCVS doesn't have any more power over vetsurgeon.org / Working Communities than it has over the BBC or Vet Times (two other media channels which you might appear publicly in).

(Unless, of course, we are talking homeopathy, in which case all bets are off!)

As you say, I think everyone is pretty good regarding confidentiality, and if anything were to slip, I am usually not far away and can remove things pretty quickly.

So as far as I am concerned, the guidelines really just crystallise what common sense tells us already.

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Bob Russell — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 14:33:33 GMT

I don't see the RCVS policing except following a complaint. Social media is no different to other media including random conversations with someone outside Waitrose (for those living in less good areas Waitrose is a bit like Tesco but for posher people) except it is documented and can be presented in hard copy for all to interpret in their own way.

Would you allow something to appear in an article in the local rag? If not take care! Would you be embarrassed to see a photo in the local newspaper? If so think again.

As long as the guidance is to assist the profession to avoid difficulties then I have no problem with being advised! If they actively start to look for problems I will complain that my fees should be put to better use.

The Waitrose comment is to see if the RCVS are watching!

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Francisco Gomez — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 13:27:21 GMT

It is obvious (at least to me) that maintaining a good social status will help ourselves and the profession. I'm sure most of us do this and, for the last couple of years posting here, I haven't yet to meet someone disclosing confidentiality. If a contributor were to break confidentiality in the forum, most of us will be quick to ask either the postee or Arlo to have the client details removed.

All of the above, I think, is fair enough. And I agree that there needs to be something in the Code to remind us all. Kudos to the RCVS for that.

But!

The way it is written does imply powers beyond what RCVS is set to do. Not only it seems to invade individual members private life...

- Can't I look 'happy' in a Xmas do with my colleagues? Do I need to avoid social events like this in case one of the receptionists takes a pic of me with their mobile phone?

... but it also goes beyond the limits of some social media platforms, which are mentioned by name. Including this one!

As far as I know vetsurgeon.org is privately own. 'Working Communities' is an independent limited company. Are there powers for the RCVS to police its content? And if there are, should you not think about going somewhere else to post, so you're further away from the Big Brother eye?

We are hard at each other sometimes, and I would be happier if things remain as they are now. I've seen Arlo banning people here for a limited period of time. I do feel that that is the right way to handle a heated situation, but for it to be the base of a RCVS complain and putting your job and, by extension, your life at risk? I think this had gone a bit too far.

PS. I've already stopped using Twitter for fear at being misinterpreted and very rarely use facebook, if not for charity promotion.

Re: Social media guidance from the RCVS

Cat Henstridge — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 12:59:16 GMT

"d. remember that innocent references to social activities that might be construed as taking place on duty / on call could be misinterpreted or used as the basis for a complaint"