Social Media Community Engagement & Comment Moderation SOP

Published:

October 24, 2025

Applies to: All Newcastle Cosmetic Doctor (NCD) clinical, marketing, and administrative staff

1. Purpose

This SOP defines the governance, moderation, and ethical engagement framework for Newcastle Cosmetic Doctor’s (NCD) social media platforms. It aims to maintain compliance with Australian regulatory authorities, ensure responsible handling of public interactions, and protect patient privacy, professional reputation, and consumer trust in all digital spaces. ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹

2. Scope & Applicability

This policy applies to all NCD social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Google Business. It governs comments, messages, and interactions from the public or patients, whether managed by staff, contractors, or automated systems. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

3. Regulatory & Ethical Framework

NCD’s online activity complies with AHPRA advertising rules, TGA Code of Advertising, ACCC consumer law, and OAIC privacy requirements. It is guided by WHO and RACGP standards for ethical digital communication and misinformation management. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

4. Definitions

“Engagement” refers to any interactive communication on social media, including comments, replies, reactions, and private messages. “Moderation” means the active management of these interactions to ensure accuracy, respect, and compliance with health advertising laws.

5. Principles of Online Conduct

Staff and representatives must maintain professionalism, courtesy, and factual integrity in all online interactions. Comments must not contain therapeutic claims, comparative advertising, or medical advice outside formal consultation. All statements should reflect verified clinic protocols and evidence-based guidance. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

6. Community Interaction Standards

NCD encourages respectful engagement that promotes patient education and public health awareness. Offensive, defamatory, or discriminatory language is prohibited. All community interaction must reflect inclusivity, transparency, and cultural sensitivity.

7. Moderation Rules & Comment Management

All comments are moderated daily to ensure compliance with Australian advertising and privacy laws. Comments containing medical inquiries, personal data, or misinformation are hidden or removed and redirected to private clinical consultation. Staff document moderation actions for accountability. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

8. Handling Reviews, Testimonials & Complaints

Testimonials about clinical outcomes are not permitted for reposting or promotional use under AHPRA and TGA advertising laws. Legitimate service feedback is acknowledged respectfully and escalated through formal complaint channels where appropriate. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

9. Escalation Protocol for Misinformation or Harmful Content

When misinformation or harmful posts appear, NCD responds promptly with factual clarification or, if required, reports the issue to platform administrators or regulators. Persistent or defamatory content is escalated to legal or regulatory authorities. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

10. Privacy, Confidentiality & Patient Boundaries

All digital communications must uphold patient confidentiality. Staff must not discuss patient treatments or identifiable details publicly. Direct messages are treated as clinical correspondence and handled under OAIC and AHPRA privacy principles. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

11. Use of Automated Tools & AI Moderation

Automated moderation tools or AI-assisted systems may be used to flag inappropriate language or spam. However, all AI actions are reviewed by trained staff to ensure context and ethical oversight. AI-generated responses must include a disclosure where applicable. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

12. Staff Access, Security & Accountability

Only authorised staff may access official NCD social media accounts. Passwords are stored securely with multi-factor authentication. Access changes are documented upon staff onboarding or exit, and misuse may lead to disciplinary action. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

13. Training, Monitoring & Auditing

All staff handling online interactions complete annual training on regulatory compliance, respectful communication, privacy, and digital professionalism. Regular audits review moderation logs, response accuracy, and adherence to ethical standards. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

14. Continuous Improvement & Review

This SOP is reviewed annually or following major regulatory changes or incidents. Feedback from audits and consumer reports informs updates to improve engagement practices and risk mitigation strategies. ¹ ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ ¹²

Sources

AHPRA, Advertising a regulated health service – Guidelines (2024)., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Resources/Advertising-hub/Advertising-guidelines-and-other-guidance/Advertising-guidelines.aspx ↩
Medical Board of Australia, Guidelines for cosmetic medical and surgical procedures (2025)., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/ ↩
ACCC, Australian Consumer Law – Misleading or deceptive conduct in advertising., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/advertising-promotions/false-or-misleading-claims ↩
OAIC, Australian Privacy Principles and health privacy guidelines., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/ ↩
ACSQHC, NSQHS Standard 1: Clinical Governance and communication principles., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/nsqhs-standards/clinical-governance-standard ↩
RACGP, Social media conduct and online professionalism., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.racgp.org.au/ ↩
NSW Health, Code of Conduct and Communications Policy., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/ ↩
TGA, Code of Advertising and Social Media Guidance (2023)., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.tga.gov.au/ ↩
WHO, Ethical criteria for health communication and misinformation response., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.who.int/publications ↩
FTC, Endorsement and Testimonial Guides for Digital Advertising., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.ftc.gov/ ↩
UK ASA, Social Media and Influencer Advertising Code., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.asa.org.uk/ ↩
NHMRC, Digital ethics and responsible AI communication in healthcare (2024)., viewed 24 October 2025, https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/ ↩

Disclaimer for Newcastle Cosmetic Doctor Policies & Procedures

The policies and procedures contained within this document are the exclusive property of Newcastle Cosmetic Doctor and are provided for internal clinical governance and educational purposes only. These materials represent the internal operational framework, safety standards, and evidence-based protocols developed and implemented by Dr. Bart John Scanlon and the Newcastle Cosmetic Doctor team. They are designed specifically for use within Newcastle Cosmetic Doctor and reflect our clinic’s own professional standards, risk assessments, and compliance obligations under Australian law and regulatory authorities. External individuals, practitioners, or organisations must not copy, reproduce, distribute, or rely upon these materials, in whole or in part, for their own clinical, commercial, or educational use without prior written consent from Newcastle Cosmetic Doctor. These materials do not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice and are not intended to be adopted as official protocols or procedures by any other entity. Any external use or adaptation must be independently reviewed and modified to meet the relevant laws, guidelines, and standards applicable to the user’s own jurisdiction, scope of practice, and facility operations. Newcastle Cosmetic Doctor and Dr. Bart Scanlon accept no liability for any loss, injury, or damage arising from the unauthorised use, reliance upon, or misinterpretation of this material.