Digital messages, photos, social media and AI tools

Digital tools speed up optical services but make patient information easier to copy, forward, screenshot, auto-fill, upload or expose. Email, text, online booking, voicemail, messaging apps, patient photos and AI tools need clear limits and safe handling.

Common digital risks

• Email: wrong recipient, wrong attachment, autocomplete errors or sending more detail than needed.
• Texts and voicemail: old phone numbers, shared phones or messages that reveal a health issue.
• Online booking and forms: free-text boxes may contain sensitive information that needs secure handling.
• Photos and screenshots: patient images, frame photos, screens and documents may reveal identity or health information.
• Staff chats: informal messaging groups can easily become unsafe if they include identifiable patient details.
• Social media: even a positive story, review reply or behind-the-scenes photo may identify a patient.
• AI tools: public or unapproved AI tools should not receive identifiable patient, staff, incident or record information.

Safer habits

• Use approved systems rather than personal accounts or apps.
• Check recipients, attachments and phone numbers before sending.
• Use the minimum necessary wording.
• Do not post patient stories, photos or identifiable background details without proper approval.
• Do not paste identifiable information into unapproved AI tools.
• Report suspicious calls, links, messages, account activity or accidental disclosures quickly.

Approved tools and AI governance

If a digital tool is not approved for identifiable information, do not put patient, customer, staff, incident or record details into it.