Are you a GP? We know there are loads of you out there...

And a whole 30 seconds spent googling has shown that Dr Sue Pearson is not a GP or a medical doctor or a scientist with a special interest in CJD or knowledge of cleaning medical equipment. Not does she claim to be - she is a science writer who writes press releases.

So a great example of misinformation on social media, thanks Beeaware.

I was about to post on this thread, but Beeaware and her one-issue crusade points out everything that is dangerous about recommending any social media site for information: anybody at all can post with the air of authority and spout whatever ill-conceived stuff they want.

Yes, I have pointed pts in the direction of MN, but usually recommend more specific sites, such as Kellymom or Dr Jack Newman for BFing issues for instance.

And this^^ is why doctors don't post on the health forum and roll their eyes when someone mentions mumsnet.

I applaud Dr.Sue Pearson for her honest opinion, pity it had to be expressed in the Daily Mail and not on Mumsnet as she speaks the truth.

GP's are no doubt aware that there are NHS patient leaflets available regarding the risks of vCJD via blood and plasma products, this surely has to be a good thing and promoted in surgeries like other known diseases are in leaflet format.

And that ^^ is why, were I a doctor, I would avoid crazy health threads, and why I would be very wary of recommending this to patients. If they find it by chance, then grand, it's like any other mixed group. But I'd hate to lend weight to any Daily Mail informed opinions by recommending a site.

I am not a GP but I am concerned about what GP's don't tell patients about CJD/vCJD, this is a rare comment posted by one concerned GP in the Daily Mail, I wish more GP's and consultants would be so open about the risks of infectious prions:

"sue6pearson, Hitchin, United Kingdom, 2 months ago
The most shocking thing is that the current technology being used to detect proteins after surgical instruments have been washed does not detect infective levels of prions. This means patients are being put at risk if they have surgery. Over 50 patients have been contacted in Wales and Ireland post surgery in the past year to say they could have vCJD as the instruments used on them were contaminated. The Department of Health needs to implement new standards in Sterile Services Departments so that surgical instruments are properly decontaminated and tested as this risk is real. Dr Sue Pearson, Hitchin, Herts"

Rowan not a GP here but I wrote a report for a previous employer about support for new mums which was then circulated and distributed and is available free online, if you like I could pm the link (if I can find it), MN was one of the online resources I mentioned in it.

Not sure if that's a bit off topic for you or not.

I think the guidance is quite explicit, if you mention you're a doctor in your post, you must identify yourself by name. If I were a doctor, I would never be daring enough to out myself as such, thanks to those rules.

I am a GP and don't mind others knowing it. Happy to PM people my GMC reg if asked. I mostly lurk, occasionally post.

I have recommended 'Internet forums such as MN or NM' to patients who I think may benefit, partic new parents, for peer support. I say it can be a source of support in the middle of the night or if feeling isolated/ in despair and to get advice on feeding/sleeping/behaviour etc. I tell patients that i have personally appreciated online support in such circumstances.

I cannot say whether I'm a GP, or a doctor, or not, as then I would have to identify myself by name, which I am not willing to do.

Therefore, I do not identify myself as a doctor, and I suspect many others will do the same, thanks to the restrictive rules.

The problem is, if you as a professional/GP tell someone to visit a certain site for support you are reccomending the site and if they meet one of the many loons on Mumsnet and follow some shockingly bad advice you are partially responsible.

Not A GP but a palliative care nurse. I have pointed people towards this and other social media if it might help them.
Mumsnetters can be very good sources of support and hand holding.

I don't think MN is suggesting that GPs point patients toward MN for medical advice (as they would be delivering that themselves) but for the peer-to-peer support?

It is worth noting that the general consensus is that medical advice on here isn't reliable but there are so many other things that you could visit a GP for which peer support on MN would be good for eg PND, sleep, SN etc..

Hospital doctor rather than GP, great post by kundry - the advice on the various Health boards here is poor. The GMC rightly limits what most of us are prepared to do about it.

For social issues, yes, the support is very valuable, but health, no.

Good points there Nerf.

Tbh I think this is not a great idea. I went to see my GP about a MH issue. Had he said try mumsnet I would have heard 'you saddo, no real life support for you, go and chat to other weirdos on the internet.'
Now, that's not accurate, or how mumsnet is but that is what I would have interpreted. and if id tried and then come in from a load of abuse from the AIBU regulars (saw one today with the op being told she was a bitch / a vile bully etc) I would have probably found myself in even deeper MH trouble.

I think if it were known that there were paid medical professionals on the site they would be absolutely inundated with questions. People would see it as an alternative to going to their own GP which it wouldn't be.

Not a GP, but ex-nurse here. I came onto MN for a specific support thread when DD3 had been diagnosed with a serious, disabling illness. The support I got from the other few mums with children suffering the same kept me sane. Everywhere else I had looked seemed to have such a negative, depressive feel and I just wanted to be more positive - hence the NN. We all supported each other and shared the good and the bad and also discussed the medical advice we had received, but all out DCs were individual and some treatments that helped for one would not for another.
I would say that MN was absolutely brilliant for mum-to-mum support.

Personally I love mumsnet but as a Dr I am horrified that other doctors would direct patients to mumsnet where there is so much unmoderated, incorrect and dangerous advice being bandied about.

As others have said there are lots of people spouting alternative and wacky treatments which are at best a waste of money and at worst dangerous. As you see from this thread Doctors are very reluctant to post advice and effectively can't give advice on an internet forum without breaking with GMC guidance. Even with 'vetted' GPs there is a danger that lurkers (ie not the OP) will assume the same advice applies to them which is potentially dangerous.

I personally know someone who took advice from a forum and 'treated' her son with homeopathy and cranial osteopathy up to the point where he almost died (he had leukaemia)

I am not a GP either but recommend MN all the time at work; work in family support and deal with families every day; not sure any have joined, mind, but they all know about it (I even hid the NM flyers haha)

OK, I meant to say what ItsAllGoingToBeFine has said but she has said it much better than me.

Not a GP,but to be honest I would be wary of reccomending anyone to this site for health issues. Yes there is some great advice and support,but there are also those who spout rubbish very authoritavely and to the layperson it is not obvious who is presenting opinion and who is presenting fact,who us actually a HCP and who just wants to be one.

If I were an professional I would be very wary about recommending any site where there is no way of knowing what a person will be told/ what they will believe.

If Mumsnet wants GPs to reccomend this site they need to have paid medical professionals moderating and commenting on the relevant boards, that are identified as such.