NMC advertising notice · 06/10/2026

Social media still works under the new NMC rules, when every post informs.

The notice treats posts, reels, stories, comments and WhatsApp broadcasts as advertising. Here are 12 areas of social media work with do's and don'ts, and an example for every point.

  • Digital, sponsored, targeted and influencer-led content all count as advertising (cl. 3.2, 3.5).
  • Hospitals may post factual, verifiable information (cl. 8.3, 9.1).
  • Doctors may share health education in their own name (cl. 5.1, 8.2(iii)).
Browse the do's and don'ts See the approval steps
12Areas covered
67Do's and don'ts
6Approval steps

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The notice at a glance

What changes for social media

Most of the policy restricts what you say to persuade. Social media keeps working on what you state to inform.

  1. 1

    Every channel counts

    Posts, reels, stories, comments and WhatsApp broadcasts, paid or organic, are treated as advertising if they are promotional.

    cl. 3.2, 3.5
  2. 2

    Facts in, claims out

    Superlatives, guarantees, cure or painless claims and fear-based copy are not allowed. Facilities, timings and fees are.

    cl. 8.1(i), (iii), (ix), 8.3
  3. 3

    Patients leave the content

    Patient stories, testimonials, before and after photos and success rates are out, even with consent.

    cl. 6.2, 8.1(iii), (v), Expl. V
  4. 4

    Others cannot speak for you

    Influencers, celebrities, staff, patients and AI personas cannot be used for endorsements or testimonials.

    cl. 8.1(xi), 7.2
  5. 5

    Responsibility stays with you

    An agency does not shift it. Doctors face personal penalties, from a warning to removal from the register.

    cl. 4.4, 10, 11.5

Which formats carry the least risk

  1. Facility, equipment and OPD updatesLowest riskStated factually, with no claims (cl. 8.3).
  2. Doctor-authored health educationLow riskIn the doctor's own name, without promoting the employer. Needs clinical and Legal review (cl. 5.1, 8.2(iii)).
  3. Paid social adsMedium, high scrutinyAllowed only if strictly factual. Frequency and retargeting create risk (cl. 8.3(ii)).
  4. Patient stories, testimonials, influencers, celebritiesNot availableProhibited (cl. 8.1(xi), Expl. V).
  5. AI-generated promotionNot availableProhibited or frozen pending Legal (cl. 7.2).

This comparison is a marketing-compliance reading of the notice, not an NMC statement.

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12 areas

Do's and don'ts, with an example for each

Pick an area, or search. Examples are illustrative and are not quotes from the notice.

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Area

Workflow

Before any post goes live

The hospital stays responsible for every post, so each one follows the same steps, whoever creates it.

  1. Marketing drafts on a factual-only templateWhat is new, where, when and how to reach you. No claims, offers or patient content.
  2. Clinical head verifies accuracyMedical facts, doctor names, qualifications and registration numbers are checked.
  3. Legal and compliance check against cl. 7 to 9Including the state Clinical Establishments Act, which prevails for hospitals.
  4. Medical Director signs offFinal clinical sign-off before anything is scheduled.
  5. Publish, log and archiveRecord the post, the date and who approved it.
  6. Audit every monthReview live posts, ads, website, Google Business Profile and vendor content.
Content calendar

Safe content to post regularly

Six formats that fit the notice, ready to build a calendar around.

  • Facility updates. OPD timings, new departments and new equipment, stated factually.
  • Doctor-authored health education. In the doctor's own name, with credentials.
  • Awareness-day posts. They inform and do not promote.
  • Facility walkthroughs. No patients visible in the frame.
  • Festival and national-day greetings. No offer attached.
  • Accreditation. Only if verifiable, with the awarding body, methodology and date.
How DigiManic helps

Compliant social media, set up end to end

From a first audit to a monthly check, we help your team keep every post factual and approved.

01

Social media compliance audit

We review live posts, ads, profiles and vendor content against the notice and list what to keep, change or remove.

02

Factual content calendar

A steady plan of facility updates, doctor-authored education and awareness-day posts that inform and do not promote.

03

Approval workflow setup

Draft, clinical check, Legal review, Medical Director sign-off, publish and archive, with a log you can show.

04

Factual paid ads

Creatives built on facilities, equipment and OPD timings, with consent-led lead forms and sensible frequency.

05

Doctor-authored education

Health education written for the doctor's own name, with credentials, kept apart from hospital promotion.

06

Monthly audit and reporting

A regular check of live posts, ads, website, Google Business Profile and agency content, so nothing slips through.

Common questions

Quick answers for hospital marketing teams

This is a marketing-compliance reading of the notice. Have Legal confirm grey areas.

Does the notice cover WhatsApp and SMS broadcasts?

Yes. Digital, sponsored and targeted messages are treated as advertising when they are promotional (cl. 3.5, 7.6). Send factual updates to consenting patients and keep an opt-out.

Can doctors still post in their own name?

Yes, for health education, with credentials and registration number, and kept separate from hospital promotion (cl. 5.1, 8.2(iii)).

Can we still run paid social ads?

Yes, if they are strictly factual: facilities, new equipment and OPD timings. Avoid fear-based copy, aggressive retargeting and ads that promote one doctor (cl. 8.3).

How can we pay an agency?

A flat retainer or a percentage of media spend works. Paying per patient, lead or appointment does not, and the hospital stays responsible for what the agency posts (cl. 4.4, 8.1(vii)).

Can we run review drives or ask patients to tag us?

Pause them. Incentivised reviews are out, and the rules on genuine, unsolicited reviews are still to be confirmed with Legal (cl. 6.1, 8.1(xii)).