Doctors trained to work in the NHS are being told not to have sex – or at least keep their faces out of offensive images.
New guidelines are also being developed to help young doctors avoid legal sanctions Avoid dating apps while at work.
The advice was published in a document titled “Dating App Guide for Doctors and Dentists in Training.”
Using apps like Tinder in the workplace can “negatively affect patients’ and colleagues’ opinions of you,” the report said. Such behavior also carries the risk of “inappropriate communication” with patients or colleagues.
The NHS has issued official advice to its junior doctors telling them not to have sex or send explicit images or videos of themselves
The NHS published the guidance through its training arm, Health Education England, and includes advice on the use of dating apps, sexting and doctor-patient relationships
Dr Joanna Liberty, a specialist anesthetist and pole dancing enthusiast from Brighton, said she feared the NHS advice would spell trouble for other aspects of doctors’ private lives.
The notice also warned against sending explicit images of any kind and warned that such content could be hacked and distributed much more widely than the sender intended.
Unsolicited photos were also said to be sent is illegal and could bring doctors into conflict with the UK Health Authority.
Responding to the document from Health Education England, the training arm of the NHS, medics described it as “cautious and narrow”. Others called it “infantilizing and ridiculous.”
The NHS-endorsed dating advice for aspiring dentists and doctors, called DDiTs in the document, involved identifying themselves on apps by their full name when listing their occupation on their profile.
“DDiTs must not misrepresent themselves and must identify themselves by name as they must be prepared to justify their conduct,” it said.
The notice also warned junior staff about sexting.
Sexting is the act of sending nude photos or explicit images or videos of yourself to someone else.
The health service has recommended “avoiding sexting wherever possible”, but if doctors decide to do it, they must ensure they follow a series of rules.
One of them was to make sure they trust the recipient, set rules for removing images before sending and always avoid having their face in the image as it could lead to them being identified if the images are leaked or shared .
Some doctors reacted angrily to the advice.
Dr. Tom Mallinson, who works in Scotland, called it an “exceeding of authority” on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
A cardiologist, who only gave the name Alex on his profile, added: “It’s an absolute disgrace. I’m ashamed of HEE – horrible, infantilizing and ridiculous.”
DR Linda Dykes, a doctor in the West Midlands who specializes in emergency medicine and general practice, was also critical of the guidelines.
She said: “What has happened to the right to privacy enshrined in the Human Rights Act?”
“It sounds prudent or scary to follow standard online dating safety advice and put a label that says ‘for doctors in training’.”
Dr Joanna Liberty, a specialist anesthetist and pole dancing enthusiast from Brighton, said she feared the NHS advice would spell trouble for other aspects of doctors’ private lives.
“We await the day when HEE decides that their puritanical moral standards should be extended to both our hobbies and our dating lives,” she wrote.
Other medics, such as cardiologist Alex, condemned the NHS’s advice to treat medical professionals like children
Dr Tom Mallinson, from the Scottish Highlands, simply called the NHS appointment guidelines an “overreach of authority”.
Dr Linda Dykes, a West Midlands doctor specializing in emergency medicine and general practice, questioned how the council respected doctors’ right to a private life, adding that the advice sounded “cautious or scary”.
But Andrea James, a lawyer who advises doctors who can be referred to Britain’s health authorities, said people would be surprised at how many cases, known as “fitness to practice” or “FtP”, are the result of doctors’ treatment was caused. – Send photos’. ‘
Other clinicians such as Dr. Philip Lee, a specialist aged care consultant in London, mocked NHS Health Education England’s training on the new guidelines
The Council recognizes that clinicians, particularly lower level staff, often face the challenge of balancing work and appointments.
“All doctors and dentists lead busy lives with hectic schedules,” it said.
“This can have a negative impact on their social and romantic lives and is likely to affect younger colleagues as well.”
However, it warned that doctors could put their careers at risk through inappropriate behavior and such cases would be referred to medical regulators, who could suspend or even fire their staff.
“Issues surrounding doctors’ behavior on dating apps have been investigated by the General Medical Council,” it said.
Commenting on the publication, Andrea James, a lawyer specializing in medical regulatory proceedings such as Fitness to Practice (FtP) cases, said such guidance could be useful.
“People think I’m joking when I mention this in FtP conversations, but a surprising number of our FtP cases actually come from crappy photos,” she wrote.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
