We welcome and encourage open discussion and comments on The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) social media sites. We look forward to hearing from you in all circumstances, including when you want to share a criticism of the hospital. However, we work hard to ensure RCH forums are a supportive environment for our patients, families, staff and the general community and we expect that your comments and posts will always be respectful of others.

Please note that comments and posts that we consider offensive, abusive, bullying or which unreasonably upset our community will be deleted immediately. Participants who repeatedly post inappropriate material will be blocked from the site.

Visitors who perpetuate views that are contradicted by evidence-based research and global health expertise, and which pose a threat to public and individual health, will be immediately blocked. This includes participants who harass other visitors to the page with incorrect medical information.

If the RCH is made aware of any comments made on social media sites, outside RCH social media pages, that are threatening, unlawful or abusive, and relate to or involve the RCH; we will investigate these comments and take any necessary action to protect the hospital, our staff, patients and families.

When participating in conversations or posting comments on social media sites, please keep these important factors in mind. Always remember that when you post a comment to a blog or social media site, it is published for the world to see. For your own privacy and that of your family, you should consider carefully how much detailed personal medical information linked to your name you want published on the Internet. We recommend you also exercise caution and avoid posting detailed personal information like your location, financial information, etc.

Thank you for supporting and contributing to the RCH community.

Your use of any RCH social media sites is subject to the RCH Website Terms of Use (including where applicable the terms of any third party social media provider like Facebook). Without limiting any other provision in those terms:

• RCH disclaims all liability, is not responsible for, and does not endorse any content submitted by any user on a social media site (even if the RCH does not remove that content);
• any content submitted by the RCH or any of its personnel is subject to any disclaimers in those terms (including under clause 9 in the RCH Website Terms and Conditions)
• and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by an appropriately qualified health care professional; and
• you must comply with any conditions relating to the content you submit including without limitation:
  • acting responsibly and respectfully;
  • not submitting content:
    • that includes any unsolicited messages or any offensive, inflammatory, defamatory, threatening, abusive, hateful, racist, obscene, fraudulent, deceptive or otherwise unlawful information;
    • advertising or endorsing any products or services of any other organisation;
    • that personally identifies any other person without their expressed consent; or
    • that the RCH considers inappropriate.

The RCH makes a significant effort to monitor and respond to posts and questions on RCH social media platforms, however we may not always be able to respond to all posts or answer online requests for information in a timely manner, particularly outside business hours.

By submitting content to any the RCH’s social media sites (wall posts, comments, photos, links, etc.), you understand and acknowledge that this information is available to the public, and that the RCH may use this information for internal and external communications, promotional and fundraising purposes. Please note that other participants may use your posted information beyond the control of the RCH. If you do not wish to have the information you have made available via the above mentioned sites used, published, copied and/or reprinted, please do not post it on any of these sites.