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Next of kin rights
Draft, translated: translated from the Norwegian original with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is the authoritative one. See the Norwegian original →
If you are next of kin to someone who is ill or cannot look after themselves, you have your own rights to information, involvement and training. The less the patient can manage, the more rights you have.
Norwegian original last checked against official sources: 22 September 2026. Rules and figures change, so always check the official site before you act.
If you are next of kin to someone who is ill, elderly, or otherwise unable to look after themselves, you have your own rights when dealing with the health and care service.
Who counts as next of kin?
It is the patient or user themselves who decides who should be regarded as their nearest next of kin, and can name several people if that fits.
What are you entitled to?
As next of kin you are, among other things, entitled to:
- general guidance and information when you are in contact with the health and care service, for example about contact details, routines, service offers and regulations,
- information about diagnosis and treatment, within the limits of the patient's duty of confidentiality and consent,
- to be involved in shaping the service offer and treatment plans.
When the patient cannot decide for themselves
If the patient cannot look after their own interests, for example due to serious illness or reduced capacity to consent, you as next of kin get more rights. Among other things, you can then help describe what treatment the patient themselves would have wanted, and some decisions can be made in consultation with you. If this also concerns finances or other personal matters over time, guardianship may be relevant.
The main rule is simple: the less the patient can manage on their own, the more rights you have as next of kin.
Training when you have a heavy caring role
If you carry out particularly demanding caring work for the patient, the municipality has a duty to give you necessary training, based on how extensive, physically and mentally demanding, and long-lasting the caring task is. See also Respite care and care allowance.
Can you complain on the patient's behalf?
In some cases, including compulsory mental health care, next of kin have their own right to complain.
If you need someone to talk to yourself
Being a carer over time can be hard. The Patient and User Ombudsman gives free advice and guidance, also to next of kin.
Tip: Ask for important information in writing, and write down who you have spoken to and when. This makes it easier to follow up over time.
Sources
Kontaktpunkt24 gives general information, not legal advice. If you need help with your own case, contact a lawyer, a legal aid service, or the relevant authority.
This page is translated from Norwegian with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is always the authoritative one.