They lost the right to treat patients in other countries. In Norway, they could still work
Norway wants to tighten the rules for revoking the licences of doctors who have lost the right to practise abroad. The new regulations are intended to make it possible to withdraw Norwegian authorisation even when foreign authorities do not disclose the reasons for their decision. This is a response to findings by the newspaper „VG”, which revealed cases of doctors being allowed to work with patients despite previous bans.
New rules for doctors in Norway. Authorities want to scrutinise their backgrounds more closely.
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Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre has taken up the matter. At his request, the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision (Helsetilsynet) has prepared proposals for changes to the rules on revoking the licences of medical staff. The aim is to protect patients. Following „VG”’s publications, Helsetilsynet revoked the Norwegian licences of several dozen healthcare workers.
A foreign ban should be enough — even without justification
At present, a foreign ban does not always lead to the loss of Norwegian authorisation. In the cases revealed by „VG”, proceedings in Norway stalled because foreign authorities did not respond to questions about why the doctors had their licences revoked. As a result, the doctors retained the possibility of working in Norway. Helsetilsynet wants the revocation of a licence in another country alone to be grounds for withdrawing it in Norway as well.
The proposal also provides for serious offences committed abroad to be taken into account. Helsetilsynet would be able to impose the same professional restrictions that foreign authorities had previously applied to the individual concerned. The agency points to the inadequacy of the current regulations. Every year, several hundred alerts concerning doctors stripped of their right to practise are circulated across Europe, but it is not always possible to obtain detailed information about the reasons for these decisions.
The proposal also provides for serious offences committed abroad to be taken into account. Helsetilsynet would be able to impose the same professional restrictions that foreign authorities had previously applied to the individual concerned. The agency points to the inadequacy of the current regulations. Every year, several hundred alerts concerning doctors stripped of their right to practise are circulated across Europe, but it is not always possible to obtain detailed information about the reasons for these decisions.
Norway wants to make it easier to revoke doctors’ licences.Photo: Pixabay
Checks will be more thorough. The agency wants new powers
The Norwegian Directorate of Health (Hdir) has also changed the way it screens candidates. „VG” found that the agency had allowed two doctors to work in Norway while serious sexual offence cases against them were pending in Sweden. One of them was initially sentenced to seven years in prison. On appeal, the sentence was increased to eight years for nine rapes.
After these cases came to light, Hdir commissioned a legal review of its procedures. The more than 200-page report showed that the agency had not been using all available options for screening foreign healthcare workers. Candidate checks have already been expanded. Hdir also wants the authority to demand criminal record certificates and is developing rules for using publicly available sources, while considering the use of artificial intelligence.
After these cases came to light, Hdir commissioned a legal review of its procedures. The more than 200-page report showed that the agency had not been using all available options for screening foreign healthcare workers. Candidate checks have already been expanded. Hdir also wants the authority to demand criminal record certificates and is developing rules for using publicly available sources, while considering the use of artificial intelligence.
Hdir has also introduced routine checks of alerts in the Internal Market Information System (IMI), through which countries share information on restrictions to the licences of medical staff. Updated guidelines on employing healthcare workers are due to be published in November 2026. Minister Jan Christian Vestre has also advocated the creation of a joint European register of medical staff.
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