Norway’s Bodø municipality has been fined NOK 200,000 after a patient in one of the municipality’s nursing homes received too much morphine before a death. Read more Close
NTB
12 July 2023 13:21 – Updated 12 July 2023 14:04
The police’s investigation into a death at a nursing home in Bodø municipality on 31 July 2021 has now ended. The municipality is punished with a fine of NOK 200,000.
The investigation shows that excessive doses of morphine had been given to the patient before the death, the police write in a press release.
– After reviewing the case, the state attorneys find it right to join the State Health Inspectorate’s and the police’s assessment that there has been a marked deviation from the requirement for professionally sound business management, which provides the basis for a corporate penalty against Bodø municipality, says acting state attorney Jørn H. Bremnes.
The health personnel acquitted
The case is closed for health personnel who have had suspect status in the case. The state prosecutors have also agreed with the police and the National Health Inspectorate’s assessment that there is no basis for criminal liability for the health personnel involved, and the case has been dropped for these three.
– For the healthcare personnel, the criminal case has been settled with dismissal according to the state of the evidence. In practice, this is the same as an acquittal in court, and they must be considered innocent, says Bremnes.
Bodø municipality apologizes
The prosecution believes that criminal guilt in this case can be proven beyond any reasonable doubt, and that the case should be settled with a preliminary injunction. Bodø municipality approves the proposal of NOK 200,000, they write in one press release.
– Bodø municipality takes this matter very seriously and deeply apologizes for the strain this has caused the family, says Arne Myrland, department director in the health and care department in Bodø municipality.
The municipality claims that the nursing home, in collaboration with the pharmacist, has established good internal control routines to prevent such incidents from recurring.
– Following the incident, the nursing home in question has had a thorough review and has tightened up all control routines and procedures for the administration of potent drugs, says Myrland.
2023-07-12 11:21:31
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