Scanners, searches and private guards in psychiatry
Official title (in Danish): Lov om ændring af lov om anvendelse af tvang i psykiatrien m.v. (Øget anvendelse af kropsscannere, metaldetektorer og kropsvisitation, private vagter i psykiatrien m.v.)
In short
Reading time: 1 min- What changes:
- The act provides a legal basis (the rule in the law that gives the right to do something) for using body scanners, metal detectors and body searches in psychiatry.
- Private guards can help with physical force and restraint.
- In the Secure Unit, camera surveillance of patient rooms can be used for a limited period.
- Who: The rules apply to patients and others who seek access to psychiatric wards, outpatient clinics and emergency departments. For forensic psychiatric patients, they also apply when they return from leave from the ward. Camera surveillance applies to patients placed in the Secure Unit under the Forensic Psychiatric Department, Region Zealand.
- When: The Act entered into force on 1 March 2026.
Written by AI from verbatim quotes from the source and checked by code and AI. Dates, tables and the fact box are calculated by fixed rules. Unofficial translation. Always read the original.
Sources and original
Read the official text (in Danish) →
The case at the Danish Parliament (ft.dk)
Source: Retsinformation.dk
Translated from Danish · The Danish version and the original source apply.
Summary by the Danish Parliament (in Danish)
Lovforslaget indebærer, at der i lov om tvang i psykiatrien m.v. etableres hjemmel til at anvende karmscannere (metaldetektorer) på psykiatriske afdelinger, ambulatorier og akutmodtagelser, kropsscannere på ambulatorier og akutmodtagelser, kropsvisitation af patienter, hvis kropsscanneren eller karmscanneren giver udslag på afdelinger, ambulatorier og akutmodtagelser, at der kan stilles vilkår om anvendelse af kropsscannere, metaldetektorer og kropsvisitation for retspsykiatriske patienter efter udgang, og hjemmel til at anvende private vagter eller sikkerhedspersonale. Denne del af forslaget er en udmøntning af dele af Aftale om en samlet 10-årsplan for psykiatrien, indgået mellem regeringen og Danmarksdemokraterne, Socialistisk Folkeparti, Liberal Alliance, Det Konservative Folkeparti, Enhedslisten, Danske Folkeparti, Radikale Venstre og Alternativet. Ud over initiativerne fra denne aftale indebærer lovforslaget, at der på Sikringsafdelingen i tidsbegrænsede perioder kan anvendes kamerakig på patientstuer, hvis det er nødvendigt for at afværge at en patient udsætter sit helbred for meget alvorlig eller livstruende skade og samtidig indføres adgang til at klage over anvendelse af kamerakig til Det Psykiatriske Patientklagenævn og Det Psykiatriske Ankenævn. Lovforslaget er den ene del af det oprindelige lovforslag L86, som er blevet delt.
Source: Folketinget (ft.dk). Reproduced unchanged.
Timeline
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- Introduced · 11 December 2025Status in the Danish Parliament: Fremsat
- Passed · 19 February 2026Status in the Danish Parliament: 3.beh./Vedtaget
- Stadfæstet · 24 February 2026Status in the Danish Parliament: Stadfæstet
- In force · 1 March 2026Status in the Danish Parliament: Stadfæstet