Services for a patient’s family members

Although the health care staff are under the obligation of confidentiality, you still have the right to information about such things as:

• Contact information for the health care service
• Procedures, employees and services 
• The possibility of applying for assistive devices, welfare technology etc.
• Legislation, casework and rights 
• Services for family members, children and adults
• Information about consumer and family organisations

Patients over the age of 16 must give consent for their family members to be able to obtain information regarding their health condition. The same applies to accessing their medical records. If the patient has given consent, immediate family members can obtain information regarding the patient’s health condition, diagnosis and prognosis.

The patient may also decide to only allow access to certain information. In some cases, the situation may dictate that the family members have access to information even without the patient’s prior consent.

When treating patients who cannot take care of their own interests, the immediate family will have the right to be informed.

Municipal services such as practical assistance and welfare technology such as alerts and locating devices can be provided as a form of relief for caregivers. 

Relief services are free. The municipality cannot charge a fee for relief services. This also applies for practical assistance, adult day care centre services or short-term stays at institutions, i.e. services that have the effect of providing relief that would otherwise incur a patient’s charge.

If you have a demanding job as a caregiver for your spouse or child, for example, you can apply to receive care benefits from the municipality.

Pårørende til en pasient eller en med rusmiddelproblemer.

Pårørendes rettigheter
Informasjon til pårørende av pasienter med psykiske lidelser og rusmiddelproblemer
Når barn blir pårørende

This is a statutory service.
See in particular Section 3-6 Municipal responsibility for family members of the Health Care Act.

Spesialisthelsetjenesteloven
Forskrift om helsestasjons- og skolehelsetjenesten
Helsepersonelloven
Helse- og omsorgstjenesteloven
Pasient- og brukerrettighetsloven

The municipality will obtain the information necessary for making a decision on the case. We will then come to a decision. You will normally receive an explanation together with the notification of the decision. You will always receive an explanation if there is a possibility that you will be dissatisfied with the decision. If an explanation is not included, you can obtain one by enquiring with the municipality within the deadline for appeals to the decision.

The municipality will process the case as soon as possible. If a decision cannot be reached on the case within one month, you will receive a written message stating the reason as to why. You will also be informed of when the decision is expected to be made.

HIf you are dissatisfied with the decision, you can appeal to the municipality within three weeks from the date on which you received it. Explain what you are dissatisfied with and why you believe the decision should be changed. If you need guidance, you can enquire with the municipality. If the municipality upholds its decision, the case will be passed on to the county governor, who will determine whether the appeal should be sustained.