Health board urged to use social media

HEALTH authorities in Edinburgh are being urged to embrace social media rather than reject it because it could help them build links with patients.

The debate over the use of Facebook and Twitter has intensified as more people use it to exchange information, including health workers.

And while NHS Lothian uses both to communicate messages to patients in the area, the Scottish Government has advised that even more could be done.

Its eHealth information security lead Daniel Beaumont said: “Simply ignoring or completely blocking social media sites in the workplace does not remove the risks.

“Instead, each organisation needs to harness social media in a controlled way and use a mixture of information governance, guidance and technical controls.

“Just like everyone else, patients want to be heard, to feel listened to and to be involved.”