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Social Media Engagement House Rules

Sharing our news and behind‑the‑scenes stories on social media is a great way for CHFT to give you an insight into the work we do and the impact this has on patients, families and our communities. We also value hearing your stories, experiences and feedback as you interact with us.

To help ensure that everyone has a positive and safe experience online, we ask that all users follow our House Rules below.

When we monitor our channels

Our corporate social media channels are monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Our accounts are not monitored outside these hours, including weekends and UK bank holidays.

If you need urgent medical help, please call 999 in an emergency or 111 for urgent advice.

We cannot provide medical guidance via social media.

Our House Rules

Follow each platform's Terms of Use

Please comply with each social media platform’s own Terms of Use, which outline how you and we are allowed to use the platform. 

Protect privacy

  • Do not post images or videos of CHFT staff, patients or visitors unless they have given explicit permission.
  • Be mindful of what appears in the background of your photos or videos.
  • Do not share personal details about yourself or other people.

Be respectful and kind

We welcome open and constructive discussion but ask that conversations remain respectful of everyone - including other users, CHFT staff and volunteers. 

No abusive or harmful behaviour

We will hide, remove or report any content that is:

  • Abusive, discriminatory, harassing or threatening
  • Intimidating towards staff, patients or other users
  • Persistent, negative or designed to provoke a reaction
  • Defamatory, slanderous or unlawful
  • Obscene, profane or sexually explicit

Where necessary, we may block accounts and report behaviour to the platform or relevant authorities.

No misinformation, spam or impersonation

  • Do not share false or unverified information.
  • Do not spam our accounts with repetitive or irrelevant content.
  • Impersonation of CHFT or misuse of our branding will be reported and removed.

Consequences of breaking the rules

Anyone who does not follow these House Rules may have their comments removed or hidden, may not receive a response, and may be blocked from our channels.

If needed, we may publicly respond or send a direct message asking you to remove your content. If you do not act, you may lose access to our accounts.

How we handle enquiries

  • We do not discuss personal or medical issues publicly online.
  • Concerns, complaints or patient‑specific queries will be redirected through our formal processes. You can read more on our Patient Advice page.
  • Social media is not the correct channel to report incidents, allegations or confidential matters.

If you spot something concerning

If you believe a comment on our channels breaches these rules, please report it directly to the platform.

You can also contact our team at: communications@cht.nhs.uk

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