– It is frightening, disappointing and very sad. If there is a place where we should be sure that everything is taken care of, it is in a hospital, says Kjetil Reithaug. He is responsible for supervision and guidance at the Norwegian Archives. In March 2023, they were supervised at Sørlandet hospital to check their archives. Kjetil Reithaug at the National Archives in Kristiansand shows what an archive should look like. Photo: Anna Rut Tørressen / news At the hospital in Kristiansand alone, there are 28 archive rooms containing paper documents dating back to the 1950s. Altogether, there will be over 10 kilometers of documents, and much has not yet been digitized. Documents which, in the worst case scenario, may contain important patient information about you and me. According to the report, several rooms have been exposed to water ingress. The pictures taken by the National Archives when they were on inspection in March this year show visible mold on binders and documents. In one of the rooms there is a hot water tank. According to the report, the temperature here was so high that it was uncomfortable to stay in the room. According to the Archives Act, all archives must be protected against water and moisture. Several of the premises at Sørlandet Hospital have visible water and sewage pipes both above and next to documents. Several premises also have weak or no access control, including in rooms with sensitive patient archives, according to the report. Several of the rooms also have windows, in direct violation of the Archives Act. Very serious deviations – As the country’s national archivist, this is the worst I have seen. It is very rare that we give as many as nine orders to a government agency, says Inga Bolstad. The national archivist is very concerned about the condition of the archives at the hospital, and believes that such conditions could jeopardize the safety of former patients. – We expect that the information the hospital has about us will be well taken care of. Also in a way that allows you to find this again later, she says. Inga Bolstad is shocked by the findings in several archives at Sørlandet Hospital. Photo: Håvard Greger Hagen / news She goes on to say that if, for example, you as a patient have been mistreated, it is important for both you and the hospital that they can find information that confirms or denies this. – As we see it, Sørlandet Hospital will have major problems finding documents as the archives are now, she says. During the inspection, both water and sewage pipes were found right next to open shelves at the hospital in Kristiansand. Photo: Swedish Archives – Can feel safe In 2008, digital record systems were introduced at Sørlandet Hospital, but still large amounts of documents have not been digitized. In addition to physical conditions at the archive premises, the hospital has also received a number of other deviations relating to routines and internal control. The management at the hospital nevertheless believes that safety is being taken care of. – Patients need not be afraid of their medical records. All patient information since 2008 has been digitized and we have very good control over this, says director of technology and innovation Kjetil Nyhus. – Why do you have such poor archive premises? – It is about many years of prioritization and backlog of maintenance. Unfortunately, we have not been able to raise our archives because we have had to prioritize patient rooms and medical equipment, he says. Kjetil Nyhus says that Sørlandet Hospital is already well underway in finding new, suitable premises for their paper archives. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news – Probably applies to several hospitals The National Archives carries out around 60 inspections across the country every year. This year, among other things, they will be dealing with the country’s hospitals. Until now, they have been under supervision at Innlandet and Sørlandet hospitals. Several deviations were also found at Innlandet, but not nearly as many as at the hospital in Kristiansand. That is why the national archivist is afraid that the archives at several hospitals will be destroyed. – There is nothing to suggest that it is different elsewhere. The deficiencies are so great that there is reason to be concerned far beyond Agder’s borders, she says. Sørlandet Hospital has now been given a deadline of six months to improve or acquire new premises that meet the requirements of the regulations. – Mold on binders like this is harmful to the health of those who work here, says director of supervision at the National Archives, Kjetil Reithaug. Photo: Swedish Archives No possibility of punishment Hospitals are required by law to archive all information about you as a patient at the hospital. You must have access to your journals far back in time. – Take the case that was uncovered about the many babies who may have been changed in Herøy. Such cases may not be known about or clarified if you do not have the archives in order, says the national archivist. – My boys would have been slapped if they had cleaned their rooms like this, says Kjetil Reithaug about the photo that was taken during the inspection at the hospital in March. Photo: The National Archives Even if Sørlandet Hospital breaks the law, the National Archives does not have the ability to issue fines. – Our punitive reaction is that we issue orders. But with a new archive act on the way, we want to be able to use fines as a sanctioning method in the future, says Bolstad. – When hospitals have a backlog of many billions of kroner, isn’t it right to prioritize patient safety and equipment for daily operations rather than their archives? – These offenses are so serious that one should not consider them against each other. Our archives are the nation’s memory. Ultimately, this is also about patient safety, she says.
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