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Right to healthcare from hospitals and psychiatric services, and what to do if you are refused

health care referral hospital specialist refused referral deadline

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 →

You have the right to have a referral assessed within a deadline, and the right to necessary healthcare if the conditions are met. How it works, and how to complain.

Norwegian original last checked against official sources: 21 September 2026. Rules and figures change, so always check the official site before you act.

The specialist health service (spesialisthelsetjenesten) covers hospitals, mental health services (such as BUP and DPS) and private specialists with a public agreement. Here it is the Patient and User Rights Act that gives you rights.

How you get in

Usually your regular GP (fastlege) or another doctor must refer you. The referral is sent to the hospital or clinic.

Your right to an assessment

According to the Norwegian Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet), you have the right to have your referral assessed within 10 working days of it being received. You should be told:

• whether you have the right to necessary healthcare,
• and if so, a deadline for when you must receive it at the latest.

Right to necessary healthcare

You have the right to necessary healthcare from the specialist health service when you can be expected to benefit from it, and the expected use of resources is reasonable in relation to the benefit. The specialist health service assesses this, based on the referral.

If you disagree or are refused

• Ask for a renewed assessment. You have the right to have the assessment reviewed again (Patient and User Rights Act § 2-3).
• Complain to the County Governor (Statsforvalteren). You, or a representative, can complain if the assessment was not made within the deadline, or if the right to necessary healthcare is not met. The decision should tell you about your right to complain and the deadline.
• The Patient and User Ombudsman (Pasient- og brukerombudet) in your county gives free advice and guidance.

Tips if you are about to be referred

• Ask your GP to describe how the problems affect your everyday life, concretely and with examples. This is better than a diagnosis alone.
• Ask for a copy of the referral.
• Note the date the referral was sent, and what you have been told. Get in touch if you have not heard anything by the deadline.

See also BUP (child and adolescent mental health services), DPS and mental health services for adults and the National Treatment Service for Sensory Loss and Mental Health.

Sources

• Helsenorge. Right to necessary healthcare from the specialist health service
• Helsedirektoratet. § 2-2a Right to assessment, deadline and information (Norwegian)
• Helsedirektoratet. § 7-2 Complaints etc. (Norwegian)

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.