news has been in contact with several defense attorneys who represent the victims in the police investigation. Several of them are critical that the municipality did not do more when the first notifications came in 2006–2007. In addition, several of the aggrieved women are very critical of the municipality’s statements that they did not know about the conditions until now. – Several of my clients are disappointed that previous notifications have not been taken more seriously, so that he could have been stopped earlier, says legal aid lawyer Camilla Hagen to news. Denies criminal responsibility A former municipal chief physician at Frosta in Trøndelag has been temporarily suspended by the Norwegian Health Authority following reports from a number of female patients about transgressive and sexual behaviour. The abuse allegations stretch back to the 1990s. He started working at Frosta as a doctor on duty in 1997 and the following year he was permanently employed as a municipal doctor. The police have charged the doctor with abusing his position to obtain sexual intercourse. The doctor denies criminal guilt. news has previously revealed that this doctor has carried out the most gynecological examinations of all GPs in the county. On 25 January, municipal director Endre Skjervø and the rest of the municipal management organized a large press conference where they apologized for Frosta municipality’s handling of the case, and where they emphasized that they believe in the women in this case. Photo: Morten Waagø / news – I apologize on behalf of the municipality Municipal director in Frosta municipality, Endre Skjervø, wishes to apologize on behalf of the municipality. – I understand the frustration and reaction of the women concerned. I apologize on behalf of the municipality that we have not stopped this earlier, says Skjervø to news. He explains that the municipality is still searching the archives to map what was done by the responsible managers back in time. – With the caveat that I do not have a full overview of what was done before, I will repeat what I said during the press conference earlier: I understand that people are critical of the municipality’s handling in the past. Have to spend several months on video material After the police announced a month ago that they had seized a significant amount of video material from the doctor’s office, the number of victims in the case has increased from 61 to 78 women. – Anyone who explains themselves, who has been a client of the doctor, is given the status of offended. Unless it has been agreed in advance that they have the status of a witness. This is what investigative leader Ellen Mari Burheim at Trøndelag police district tells news. According to news’s experience, there must be several thousand hours of video. The police are said to have found footage from several cameras in the office. Several women have recently contacted the police, because they are afraid of having been filmed. – We use the available resources we have to review video material as efficiently as possible, says Burheim. Investigation leader Ellen Mari Burheim says that they have to spend several months reviewing the videos, and that they probably won’t be finished until the summer. Photo: Morten Waagø / news The police want to secure values Before the weekend, a court hearing was held in Trøndelag district court where the press was banned from reporting. The meeting was about two homes that the doctor owned – but which he gave away to his wife and children in December. This is confirmed by police attorney and prosecution officer Charlotte Aspehaug to news. – The police are trying to secure these values with a view to a possible future compensation claim against the doctor, she says. The doctor disputes the police’s arrests in the homes. A ruling is expected during this week. Great pressure on the doctor’s office This case affects the small municipality with 2,600 inhabitants. There is now increased pressure on the doctor’s office to help patients who make contact, municipal director Skjervø tells news. He says that some of the patients get in touch to get access to their own records. Others have questions related to the police’s information about the discovery of video material. In addition, there are patients with health needs linked to this case. The ever-growing abuse case could cost the municipality over 4 million in extra costs in the coming years. Frosta has therefore applied to the State Administrator in Trøndelag for funds to cover some of this. They have money that they can allocate to municipalities that have extraordinary and unforeseen expenses, Skjervø explains. – We have recently applied for discretionary funds, and have identified costs in 2022 of approximately NOK 1.8 million regarding the abuse case, says the municipal director. Timeline: Doctor charged with assault The doctor is employed as Municipal Doctor 1 in a permanent position (40 per cent). This is in addition to his contract practice as a general practitioner (60 per cent). Levanger Hospital contacts the County Medical Examiner with notices from three patients. According to the women, the doctor should have, among other things, offered and performed a clitoral massage. Frosta municipality is notified and is in contact with Levanger Hospital and the County Medical Office. The state’s health inspectorate gives the doctor a written warning based on the patient reports. A young woman complains to the County Commissioner because of experiences of being touched during a doctor’s appointment. Frosta municipality is not notified. The appeal case ends in a so-called “local clarification case”. The doctor invited the woman to a “clarifying conversation” and with this the case was closed with the County Governor. Frosta municipality says that they first become aware of this complaint from 2017 during the summer of 2022. The state administrator sends a letter to Frosta municipality informing them that a supervisory case has been opened against the long-standing municipal superintendent and GP. The case will be forwarded to the Norwegian Health Inspectorate. The background is a patient complaint which was about sexual language, as well as offensive and degrading behavior during a doctor’s appointment. The state’s health inspectorate decided to temporarily suspend the authorization of the doctor. Another patient complaint against the doctor has been received. He is called in sick the same day. For the first time, the board of directors at Frosta is orally briefed in a closed meeting about the case, and how the municipality is working on. The police accuse the doctor of abusing his position to obtain sexual intercourse. The doctor denies criminal responsibility. Frosta municipality’s contact phone is opened. The municipal director has his first briefing to the municipal council about the case in a closed meeting. Frosta municipality sends two letters to the doctor, in which they inform that they want to dismiss him. Both as a municipal superintendent and as a general practitioner. Frosta municipality organizes a press conference where they inform that the former municipal superintendent and general practitioner have been dismissed. Both mayor Frode Revhaug (H) and municipal director Endre Skjervø stress that they believe the residents who have told about abuse. The doctor’s lawyers react strongly to this, and believe that it is prejudgment. The police warn that they have seized a significant amount of video material from the accused’s doctor’s office. According to news’s experience, there must be several thousand hours of video. The police are said to have found footage from several cameras in the office. Following this, there are many worried female patients who contact both Frosta municipality and the police. Show more Want an investigation of the municipality The Norwegian Health Authority has previously told news that they are considering investigating Frosta municipality. Several people in the municipality’s administrative management at the time were directly involved and informed about the accusations against the municipal doctor in 2006–2007. Current mayor Frode Revhaug (H) and municipal director Endre Skjervø have all along denied that they were aware of previous warnings and accusations of abuse against the doctor. They welcome an independent and public investigation into the whole matter. Acting municipal chief physician Linn Beate Skogholt worked with the accused at the Frosta doctor’s office for several years. She is also group leader for Frosta Høyre, and sits on the board. Skogholt also maintains that she did not know anything until the case became known in the media last year.
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Victims are disappointed that reports of abuse against the doctor at Frosta were not taken more seriously – news Trøndelag
