The alarming new figures come via the Norwegian System of Compensation for Patients (NPE), which said that in 2010, there were 4,352 different cases of treatment errors by the Norwegian Health System. In addition to this, only 70 percent of such patients were given compensation after their ordeals.

Professor Peter E Hjort, from the NPE, said that with the use of foreign studies, his organisation has estimated that some 2,000 patients die per year as a result of improper treatment in the Norwegian Health System. He added that there were an estimated additional 15,000 patients that must deal with permanent injuries due to medical errors.

Meanwhile, lawyer Winther Christensen said that the current legal system for such patients is adequate. He told the Norway Post, “I think the rules are too strict, and that more independent professionals should be involved in each case.” However, he admitted that in 90 percent of such cases authorities involved generally listened only to doctors’ testimonies rather than those from patients.

For the seven in ten individuals that were able to secure compensation over the last five years, the most common conclusion of the cases was “treatment failure.”

The Independence Party members of the Althingi General Committee have requested that the committee meet to discuss the issues which have been brought up in the media; especially RUV’s Kastljos current affairs programme. Under normal circumstances the issue would be a matter for the Althingi health committee; but the Independence Party MPs believe the scandal is too big to ignore.

There are strong indications that the amount of prescription drugs being illicitly traded on the market is such that it is no longer just a health matter, they say. It is in the General Committee’s jurisdiction because it relates to the country’s penal code, addictive drugs, the work of the police and the work of the customs agency.

Ritalin is a sought after recreational drug in some circles, and Kastljos claims that some doctors are implicated in the trade by prescribing large amounts of the drug to patients who then sell the tablets.

According to statistics released by Kela, the social research institute of Finland, only 643 people were issued with the Z-diagnosis in 2008 which represents a marked decline from 2004, when 2,511 cases were reported. However, the numbers of cases of mental and psychological illness have seen a large increase as reported by news source YLE.

The internationally recognised Z-diagnosis is employed by doctors who deem that certain patients should be afforded time off from work despite having no definite medical illness.

Kela has claimed that it has undertaken a major education program with Finnish physicians to recognise the signs of exhaustion and to understand that it can often be prompted by a psychological condition which necessitates time away from the workplace.

The move is designed to better appreciate the personal conditions that contribute to exhaustion which often include fears on the part of employees that time off may be seen as a sign of weakness and many who are overwhelmed by their job are reluctant to take leave for fears that the workload will increase in their absence. Unfortunately the changes now mean that those previously afforded the Z-diagnosis will now have a medical record of anxiety or depression.

Hanna Jarvinen, the Chief Physician for Kela, claimed: “Earlier, the use of the Z-code has been a problem. And we’ve been trying to educate our doctors”. Jarvinen added that: “Many of those have now shifted to diagnoses of psychological illness. I think that’s good. Often a real illness has been masked by the Z – it was just given the wrong code.”

The report showed that 35 percent of the 1,200 practicing physicians who were surveyed thought it should be legal to provide a patient who expressed a desire to kill themselves with a cocktail of prescription drugs. However, 40 percent of doctors were against the idea, and 25 percent of the respondents said they were uncertain.

The Local newspaper contends that this issue threatens to split the current Alliance government because social minister Goran Hagglund is sceptical and does not want any significant public discussion on the issue right now. Many Swedish experts were surprised at the number of doctors in support of euthanasia, including Anna Lindblad at the Karolinska Institute, who conducted the survey. “We had thought that opposition was stronger within the medical profession,” she said.

Recently, Sweden’s state medical ethics council expressed support for the act of doctor-assisted suicide, and suggested the government review the controversial issue. Although the issue hasn’t been breached in government discussions yet, several coalition parties favour legalising euthanasia. Such a huge social topic could split the Alliance government if it gains enough public attention.