How to submit a rights appeal

If you have received a rejection regarding something you believe you are entitled to, you can submit what is known as a ‘rights appeal’.

What to include in your appeal

Your appeal should include information about you, the person/organisation you are appealing against, and what happened.

About you

Start by stating your name, address and telephone number.

If you are appealing on behalf of someone else, you should also include the name and contact details of the person concerned. You should also enclose your power of attorney.

About the person/organisation you are appealing against

Rights appeals almost always concern an organisation.

If you wish to appeal regarding your GP, community nurse, nursing home, nursing home or other municipal service, please state the service that your appeal concerns.

If you do not receive the services you believe you are entitled to at a hospital, you should state the part of the hospital that your appeal concerns, e.g.:

  • clinic
  • department
  • ward

About what happened

Give a brief, concrete description of what treatment you have not received. Remember to state the date/time when it happened.

Find the address of the person/organisation you are appealing against

Your appeal must first be sent to the treatment centre you are appealing against.

You can get the postal address of the treatment centre by:

  • calling them
  • calling a helpline
  • searching online

Find the address of the manager (optional)

You can also ask for the direct address of the manager at the treatment centre. This will ensure that the person who is ultimately responsible will actually find out what has happened.

Find or ask for the address of:

  • the county governor, if you are appealing against a municipal treatment centre
  • the hospital director, if you are appealing against a hospital
  • the senior manager, if you are appealing against a private treatment centre

Send your appeal by letter

Send your appeal to the treatment centre's postal address. You can also send a copy to the manager if you wish.

If the treatment centre agrees with your appeal, it will amend its decision and contact you to offer you what you are entitled to.

If it disagrees with your appeal, the matter will automatically be forwarded to the County Governor, who will then consider it and respond to you by letter.

Appeal form

All hospitals in the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør Øst) provide an online form for appealing a decision concerning your rights, except: 

  • Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital (Lovisenberg Diakonale Sykehus) 
  • Diakonhjemmet Hospital 
  • Lillehammer Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases 
  • Betanien Hospital Skien 

Appeal form 

Content provided by Statsforvalteren

Statsforvalteren. How to submit a rights appeal. [Internet]. Oslo: The Norwegian Directorate of Health; updated Friday, September 3, 2021 [retrieved Saturday, April 27, 2024]. Available from: https://www.helsenorge.no/en/klage-og-erstatning/how-to-submit-a-rights-appeal/

Last updated Friday, September 3, 2021