Forum Rules 1.0

Forum Code of Conduct and Rules 1.0

Welcome to the BGS forum, which aims to share information and create a peer-to-peer forum for the discussion of issues relating to improving the healthcare of older people. This is a great medium with which to solicit the advice of your peers, benefit from their experience, and participate in an ongoing conversation.

By joining the Forum, you agree that you have read and will follow the code of conduct and abide by the rules below.

In accepting these terms, you confirm that you are a healthcare professional or professional researcher, registered and in good standing with the appropriate regulatory body for your profession (such as the GMC, or RCN). You agree to abide by the Forum code of conduct and rules (below), the BGS Privacy Statement and BGS website terms of use.

This code of conduct and set of rules applies to all of the BGS Forum spaces, including public channels, private channels and direct messages, both online and off. Please take them seriously. To preserve a climate that is productive and civil, we reserve the right to suspend or terminate participation in the Forum for anyone who violates the code of conduct and rules. Such decisions will be at the discretion of the BGS secretariat or moderators. Every code of conduct violation report will be treated with seriousness and care.

If you have questions or concerns about these issues, please feel free to message enquiries [at] bgs [dot] org [dot] uk.

Code of conduct

  1. Be active
     

Express opinions freely and feel comfortable entering into informed debate and discussion. Welcome comments and suggestions on content that you share.

  1. Be you
     

Keep your user profile up-to-date and accurate. Use only your own credentials when posting information. Reflect on what you share being appropriate for use within a professional setting.

  1. Be original
     

Only submit content that you have personally written or that you have properly attributed. Respect copyright and the intellectual property rights of others. Logos and images should only be used if you have permission. Please do not advertise commercial products and services; you can always mention relevant products and services as long as they support your comment.

  1. Be safe and protective
     

Do not disclose any personal information. Do not disclose any patient or service user identifiable details. Ensure that the content you upload does not infringe upon any applicable local, national or international law or regulation.

  1. Be respectful
     

Respect others for who they are and for their knowledge, skills, views and experience. Do not post anything that is, or maybe interpreted as, libellous, obscene, hateful, sexist, racist, discriminatory, defamatory, harassing or inappropriate in any way. Do not post anything that is unlawful or fraudulent, or has any unlawful or fraudulent purpose or effects. Communicate as professionally as you would in face-to-face interaction. Be aware that it is illegal to post content that is libellous, condones illegal activity, or breaks copyright.

  1. Be honest and on topic
     

Post accurate and factual information which is relevant to that pre-approved purpose at all times. Do not create a misleading impression to other users. Take action to correct any mistakes and remove information that is no longer current. Remain open, honest and professional. When using information, carefully review the accuracy and applicability of it to make sure it is current, complete and relevant.

  1. Be welcoming

Communities thrive when their members share a common core set of values and put those values into practice through their interactions. In order to keep an online Forum healthy and to make it possible for people of all types to participate fully, we need to be overt in our openness, welcoming all people to contribute, and to foster an atmosphere of kindness, cooperation, and understanding.


8. Be tolerant

This Forum is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone. We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form. We aim to create an environment in which diverse individuals can collaborate and interact in a positive and affirming way.

Forum rules

  • The BGS is providing a forum for the discussion of issues important to professionals involved in healthcare of older people.
  • The BGS is making the Forum available to participants for educational and informational purposes only. The BGS is not undertaking to render advice. Forum participants must rely solely on their own judgment with respect to all issues discussed. The BGS does not approve or endorse any specific practices that may be mentioned on the Forum. The BGS makes no representations or warranties regarding the experience, qualifications or information provided by Forum participants or otherwise provided using the Community.
  • The information posted on the Forum will not be treated as confidential and, therefore, should not disclose any confidential, proprietary, or sensitive patient information or other information. Moreover, since any information posted on the Forum may be downloaded, reproduced, and disseminated without the knowledge of user(s), users must use extreme care when posting or sending such information.
  • Users acknowledge and agree that they (i) will not have any copyright or other property rights in or to information that they (or others) post on the Forum; (ii) specifically waive any such property rights; and (iii) hereby grant all users a license to use (including the right to publish) all information posted by them on the Forum.
  • Discussion topics are not to be relied on as specific advice, and such responses are not intended to constitute practice guidelines or advice
  • Users should exercise both common sense and courtesy in the messages they transmit on the Forum and may not use the Forum to transmit defamatory, obscene, and otherwise offensive communications.
  • Users may not post or distribute files, articles or other information subject to trademark, copyright, or other proprietary rights, except with the express consent of the owner of the rights.
  • Users are prohibited from posting commercial messages or promotions, advertising, or selling goods or services.
  • Users must respect the security of the Forum and may not attempt to gain access or provide access to channels private to the BGS Forum.
  • Users are prohibited from using the Forum for any purpose that may be illegal
  • The Forum may not be used in a manner that violates applicable UK laws, the BGS Articles of association or bylaws.
  • The BGS will deny access to the Forum to any individual who has not agreed to the terms of these Rules and reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to (i) remove any postings or other content that is not consistent with these Rules or otherwise not in the best interests of the BGS; and (ii) suspend or terminate access to the Forum for violations of these Rules or for otherwise acting in a manner contrary to the interests of the BGS.

     


Acknowledgements

This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Forum Covenant (http://community-covenant.net), version 1.0, available at http://community-covenant.net/version/1/0/. The Forum Covenant is an open-source effort and is built on codes of conduct that came before it, including the Contributor Covenant and the LGBTQ in Tech Forum code of conduct.