2nd September 2024
2nd September 2024
Amendments to the Medical Director of Health and Public Health Act - Complaints about health services
On 1 September 2024, amendments to the Medical Director of Health and Public Health Act came into force regarding complaints about health services.
-Automatic translation
Formal complaints can still be made to the Directorate of Health for alleged negligence and errors in healthcare provision. The right to complain about the improper conduct of healthcare professionals in connection with healthcare services is suspended. Instead, the patient’s comments about the service or conduct of healthcare professionals should be addressed to the senior management of the relevant healthcare institution or those responsible for the service. See Article 28 of the Law on the Patient's Rights, No. 74/2008.
This change was made:
The Directorate of Health decides whether the complaint received gives sufficient grounds for investigation and whether the investigation results will likely increase healthcare quality and safety. The Directorate of Health shall inform the complainant of the progress and results of the case within a reasonable time.
Also, this changed:
Suppose a complaint concerns an incident that is or has been under investigation by the Directorate of Health based on Articles 10 and 10a or is warranted for investigation on that basis. In that case, the Directorate of Health may dismiss the complaint.
Furthermore, as of 1 September 2024, if „more than four years have passed since the incidents that are the subject of a complaint, the Directorate of Health is entitled to dismiss the complaint unless specific reasons recommend that the complaint be dealt with.“
Complaints received by the Directorate of Health before 1 September 2024, according to Article 12(2) of the Act on the Medical Director of Health and Public Health, will be processed according to the Act as it was before 1 September 2024. Complaints received from 1 September 2024 will be processed in accordance with the changes that came into force on 1 September 2024.
The changes have yet to be included in the full text of the Act on the Medical Director of Health and Public Health, but they can be accessed on the Althingi parliament's website. See also changes to the Law on Healthcare, No. 40/2007, and the Law on Patients’ Rights, No. 74/1997.
More information
Kjartan Hreinn Njálsson, Assistant to the Medical Director of Health kjartan.h.njalsson@landlaeknir.is