Act on Patient Safety

The Danish Act on Patient Safety passed in parliament June 2003 and was put into force January 1, 2004.

The Act obligates:

• Frontline personnel to report adverse events to a national reporting system
• Hospital owners are obligated to act on the reports 
• The National Board of Health is obligated to communicate the learning nationally

The purpose of the reporting system is to learn, not punish. Therefore the act contains a paragraph protecting the health care personnel from sanctions:

“A frontline person who reports an adverse event cannot as a result of that report be subjected to investigation or disciplinary action from the employer, the Board of Health or the Court of Justice.”

The Act on Patient Safety was implemented into the Danish Health Care Act January 1st 2007.

In March 2009 a new act was passed in parliament whereby the reporting system will be expanded to the primary care sector as well as patients and relatives. The new act will be put into force when a new version of the Danish Patient Safety Database is available - probably medio 2010. The content is in broad outline similar as the former Act. For further information about the law we refer to the links on this page.