I am a patient who values the trust, confidentiality, and respect that comes with visiting my local GP.  Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that a lot of GPs in practice, who also reside on Local Medical Committees (LMC), are frequently found to be over-engaging on social media. The constant flow of endless posts online; and their content raise concerns about their priorities, focus and attentiveness to patient care in practice.

LMCs represent local area GPs who form part of a PCN (Primary Care Network).  Local Doctors and Practice Staff reside on the LMC - they are elected by their local peers every 2-4 years.  For NHS Local Medical Committees (UK), March 31st marks the end of the standard UK financial and contracting year for most GP surgeries and Local Medical Committees (LMCs). They are entirely funded by the GPs themselves (self-serving) through a statutory levy deducted from practice incomes.  GP partners are primarily responsible for decision making on the LMC, which is a contentious issue.  Nobody manages their day to day operations however the law mandates that the LMC must consult with the ICB and NHS England with all issues within GP.  NHS England and The Secretary of State for Health hold balancing power as they control the NHS Perfomers List and National GP contracts - a LMC must adhere to the legal definitions of GP set out by these health authorities.

Local Medical Committees (LMCs) and medical regulatory bodies are supposed to enforce strict guidelines regarding Doctors' online posts and social media activity to protect patient 'safety' and maintain professional standards. Doctors are legally and ethically responsible for everything they publish online, whether posting on social media, personal profiles, professional pages, or within "closed" or private messaging groups however at times there can be departures from professional standards and 'harmful posts' can slip through the net.  Some Doctors can even 'hide' on social media (anonymity offers no protection), preaching 'bad practice'; express views at considerable detriment to a patient or even at worse - engage in online stalking towards a patient - the possibilities are endless - this is why regulation and oversight is needed on LMC member GPs posting online.

We rely on our GPs to be fully present and dedicated during our appointments. However, when their social media activity is so frequent, it casts doubt on where their priorities lie.  For some of us, these online behaviours via the LMC, persistent campaigns; threats of strikes; comments made (at times directed towards patients), upon reading, can cause upset and distress to a patient; and erode the trust and respect we've placed in our healthcare providers.

One such comment considered 'harmful' towards patients, concerned a Doctor in practice, who now resides on the LMC in an important executive role, who publically inferred by an online post that:

'Patients don't have a right to see their GP'.  Naturally, this is worrying.

According to a report by Pew Research, the average doctor spends almost 2 hours daily on social media. The risk of distraction is significant, leading to less patient-centric care. This is a trend we cannot afford to ignore, given the crucial role of LMC member GPs in providing leadership and guidance in medical practices.

To address this, I am proposing that:

• the LMC implements stringent guidelines regarding the social media usage of its member GPs during working hours;
• an independent committee should be set up to monitor online activity of all UK regional LMC members on social media;
• NHS patients should report any 'distasteful' online post made by a GP through the LMC online, or on individual social media accounts found, considered 'harmful to patient care', to the surgery in which they practice in and other relevant organisations.  This is easily identifiable online - just look to your local medical committee to see member lists.

Limiting social media activity and ensuring it does not interfere with patient care should be a priority. By setting these boundaries, we can help maintain the integrity and professionalism expected in our healthcare providers.

As patients, we deserve undivided attention during our consultations. The LMC, patients and the NHS has the power to establish comprehensive policies to ensure that member GPs can effectively balance their roles in healthcare while engaging responsibly on social platforms.

I urge the LMC to take immediate action to review and regulate the social media usage of its GPs.  Also, patients and the NHS to take collective action.

Please join me in advocating for a healthcare system where the patient's needs come first, without the competition of tweets and online statuses dominating, by signing and sharing this petition today.