Norwegian doctors protest new sick leave payment rules

General practitioners in Norway are protesting new government regulations regarding compensation for issuing sick leave. Under the new rules, doctors receive significantly less for issuing a 100 percent sick leave certificate (5 NOK) compared to what they previously received, while incentives are structured to favor partial or graded sick leave. The government intends for these changes to reduce overall sickness absence.

Medical professionals, including doctors Jørn Otto Ahlqvist and Hege Førland, have criticized the policy, arguing it undermines the essential trust between patients and physicians. Critics have compared the outcome-based payment model to corruption, suggesting that medical decisions may appear driven by financial incentives rather than professional judgment.

Demonstrations against the reforms took place in Oslo, Bergen, and Tromsø. Kjersti Toppe, leader of the Health and Care Committee in the Storting, has also condemned the arrangement as unethical and a threat to the doctor-patient relationship.