The Norwegian Health Inspectorate has worked for 11 months with the inspection. The conclusion is therefore that the psychiatrist’s authorization will be withdrawn. He is no longer allowed to practice as a doctor. – After a comprehensive assessment, the Norwegian Health Authority has come to the conclusion that the psychiatrist is unfit to exercise his profession properly, on the basis of persistent professional failure, lack of role understanding and inadequate record keeping, writes the Norwegian Health Authority. Lawyer Halvard Helle tells news that the decision will be appealed to the Health Personnel Board shortly. Three whistleblowers have come forward with names 1. Author Hilde Rød-Larsen was the first to report against the psychiatrist. She gave notice in December 2022 and reported what she believed to be a poor understanding of roles. She was not a patient when she got to know the psychiatrist in question, but believes he took advantage of his role to have sex with her. The psychiatrist’s answer: In his answer, the psychiatrist has contradicted the accusations from Rød-Larsen. He writes, among other things, that she “almost completely writes about her entire narrative of the contact between her and me – from being an adult woman with her own choices and several initiatives for contact – to becoming a ‘victim'”. Naturally, I feel it as a threat to my own legal protection”. The psychiatrist’s lawyer, Halvard Helle, has repeatedly pointed out that there was no treatment relationship between the psychiatrist and Hilde Rød-Larsen. Heller believes this was a relationship between two consenting adults. 2. Victoria Nordberg was the psychiatrist’s patient for over 20 years. She reported a lack of follow-up and treatment, as well as record keeping and role mixing. In her warning, she points to the psychiatrist’s lack of understanding of the distinction between the private and the professional. She also claims that the psychiatrist has not charged her for treating her in the last 17-18 years. The psychiatrist’s response: In his response to the accusations from Nordberg, the psychiatrist confirms that he has not charged for treatment. He explains this, among other things, by the fact that Nordberg should have received a free pass from Helfo. He opposes several of the other charges and writes, among other things, that he experiences the case as “scary and a threat to my personal and professional reputation”. To the accusations of a lack of record-keeping, he replies that he has kept a record, but that parts of the record were lost due to IT problems. 3. Miriam first reported against the psychiatrist in 2003. The report was about transgressive behavior and sexually offensive actions during treatment two years earlier, when Miriam was only 13 years old. The state administrator considered earlier this year that this notification should be processed again. In the case from 2003, the psychiatrist was believed in his explanation and the conclusion was that he had not broken the Health Act. The psychiatrist’s response: In his response from 2004, the psychiatrist opposes all the charges. In the letter sent to the State Administrator on 10 January 2004, the psychiatrist writes, among other things, that “none of these situations have taken place at all”. He also writes that “I am shocked. This is frightening reading, with new, gross and lying allegations about what I have done to my former patient”. To VG, lawyer Helle has said that “It is completely unlikely that the health authorities’ conclusion will be different today than what was the conclusion 20 years ago. Therefore, it is difficult to understand that this case is being taken up again, which means that the psychiatrist is exposed to extremely stigmatizing accusations of criminal relations”. In author Hilde Rød-Larsen’s case, the Norwegian Health Authority concludes that there was no doctor-patient relationship. The behavior is nevertheless incompatible with the medical profession, writes the Norwegian Health Authority. On the basis of at least two other cases, the supervisory authority finds it appropriate to withdraw the authorisation. – My clients are very easy. They are nevertheless affected by the waiting time from notice to decision. Several of them have serious health problems as a result of inappropriate health care, says aid lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen. – A tsunami Lawyer Halvard Helle is critical of the treatment. – In the last year, the psychiatrist has been hit by a tsunami which has been difficult for him to defend himself against. The combined pressure from the complainants, the media and the health authorities has been unbearable. Flodbølgja has meant that the Norwegian Health Authority has not been able to separate the cases from each other, and made a mistake on a crucial point, says lawyer Halvard Helle to news. Lawyer Halvard Helle represents the psychiatrist. Photo: Tore Linvollen / news The state administrator found in his initial investigations “allegations of inadequate treatment and privatization of the relationship between patient and treatment”. Withdrawal of authorization is a serious reaction from the health authorities. It is applicable where the doctor “is seen as unfit to exercise his profession responsibly”, writes the Norwegian Health Authority on its website. Oppose the debts The supervisory proceedings started after author Hilde Rød-Larsen came forward. In November 2022, Rød-Larsen said that in her twenties she was exposed to border-crossing actions by a Norwegian psychiatrist. According to her, they had sex for the first time in 1999. Rød-Larsen was not the psychiatrist’s patient, but she claimed he knew she was sick with an eating disorder. Hilde Rød-Larsen believes that the extensive supervision of a total of seven cases proves a serious system failure. Photo: Tobias Prosch Simonsen / news The psychiatrist has opposed this through his lawyer, maintaining that he did not act in violation of the regulations. Rød-Larsen says that she is devastated after what she calls a demanding and lengthy notification process. – Now I hope the Norwegian authorities and the media realize that this case is also about a serious system failure, says Hilde Rød-Larsen. The psychiatrist expressed to his former patients that the allegations against him were groundless. – The psychiatrist has practiced for four decades. He is confident both professionally and personally in relation to his contact with patients, said lawyer Halvard Helle to news in January. Comprehensive supervision The Norwegian Health Authority has received a total of seven cases against the psychiatrist. The last of these came as late as October. The cases concern, among other things, the psychiatrist’s practice of prescribing addictive medications. Furthermore, the governing authorities question patient treatment and record keeping. Mixing the roles of psychiatrist and private person is also part of the supervision. Mette Yvonne Larsen is legal counsel for three of the whistleblowers. Photo: Mirwais Moquim / news The State Administrator asked the Norwegian Health Authority to consider withdrawing the psychiatrist’s license until further notice. Supervision of health and care services Supervision of health and care services is divided between the State Administrator and the Norwegian Health Authority. They must ensure that healthcare personnel and institutions provide treatment according to the rules. In the event of a complaint, for example from a patient, the State Administrator assesses the case. From there, he can either be put away, or sent on to the Norwegian Health Authority. This is done if the case is serious enough that a reaction should be assessed, i.e. a consequence for the health personnel. Only they can adopt such a reaction. It could, for example, be a warning to the health personnel or withdrawal of the authorization (medical licence). About 90 per cent of supervisory cases are decided by the State Administrator. Only the most serious cases are investigated by the Norwegian Health Authority. Two cases have already been concluded with the State Administrator in Oslo and Viken. These were considered to mean that there was no need for a reaction against the psychiatrist. Two criminal cases The psychiatrist has been reported to the police by both Hilde Rød-Larsen and Victoria Nordberg, among other things for abuse of a position of power. He is also reported for breaching the liability requirement in the Health Personnel Act, which gives the right to good and proper treatment. Head of investigations Maria Eriksson at the Oslo police district informs news that the psychiatrist has been questioned. Three witness interviews have been conducted in the investigations of two criminal cases. – The prosecution decision, as the prosecution officer is currently assessing the case, will not necessarily be the same for the entire complex, says Eriksson.
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The Norwegian Health Authority has reached a conclusion in the supervisory case against a psychiatrist – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
