Cancer patient Pia wants accountability after scandal: Now another decision has been made
In the so-called cancer case, the prosecution has now for the second time stopped the investigation of the management at Aarhus University Hospital.
Pia Krog from Tjele wants a specific responsibility placed for the cancer case, but the prosecution will not proceed with the case. (Photo: © Morten Lerkenfeldt Sørensen, DR)
By Theis Lange Olsen ([email protected]) 30 minutes ago
For months, a faint hope has kept alive the fight that cancer patient Pia Krog has been waging since the illegally long waiting times at Aarhus University Hospital came to light.
The hope that, in the end, criminal responsibility would be placed on the management for the serious failures that affected more than 300 colorectal cancer patients.
But now the door appears to be firmly shut.
After the Director of Public Prosecutions last year sent the case back to the police following a complaint from Pia Krog, the Regional Public Prosecutor in Viborg has now made a decision:
The investigation is completely discontinued, and no criminal case will be brought against the former management at Aarhus University Hospital.
- I didn't expect anything, but I hoped a case would be brought, right until I read it through. I'm not out to get anyone criminally, but I need to have responsibility placed. That hasn't happened, says Pia Krog.
Pia Krog today lives with two stoma bags, but could have avoided one if she had been treated in a timely manner at AUH. The Patient Compensation Board has determined that. (Photo: © Emil Nordkvist Johansson, DR)
She could in all likelihood have kept her bladder – and thus avoid one stoma bag – if her cancer treatment at Aarhus University Hospital had not been delayed by three and a half months.
She has the Patient Compensation Board's word for that – and a substantial compensation amount.
Even though the Regional Public Prosecutor has now dropped the case once again, Pia Krog will not rule out continuing the fight. Within four weeks, she must appeal to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Unless my lawyer advises me not to, I would like to appeal. I won't give up until the last door is closed. It gives me energy to keep going. This must never happen again, says Pia Krog.
But your persistence also means that some people may remain suspects in the case. Do you think about that?
- When no one says it's my responsibility, how else can you do than ask the police to investigate the case? It's not desirable that anyone is a suspect, but I just wonder why no responsibility has been placed, says Pia Krog.
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Three have been under suspicion
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The scandal began when DR in 2023 uncovered how over 300 patients at the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery had waited longer than the legally mandated maximum waiting times – without being offered timely treatment at other hospitals or abroad.
This led to several top managers at Aarhus University Hospital being fired.
Immediately afterwards, Pia Krog reported the hospital management to the police.
At that time, the Office of the Attorney General had delivered a scathing critique of the cancer case.
The Attorney General's assessment of what happened at the gastrointestinal surgery department at Aarhus University Hospital contains several conclusions about illegal practices and gross errors committed "deliberately."
- These errors must be characterized as even very gross, given the importance of the rules for patients' recovery, that these are life-threatening diseases, the number of patients involved, the number, clarity, and severity of the errors, as well as the fact that the hospital committed the errors deliberately, the report states.
Three hospital employees have been under suspicion for abuse of office, dereliction of duty, and gross or repeated negligence in service. The charges against them have now been dropped.
And the Regional Public Prosecutor in Viborg now assesses for the second time that a criminal case cannot be brought.
- The prosecution may only bring charges if it is assessed that there is sufficient evidence for the suspects to be convicted.
- After the further investigation, it remains our assessment that it is not possible to provide sufficient proof that one or more leading individuals have acted in a way that violates criminal law in connection with the administration of waiting times for treatment of cancer patients, says State Prosecutor Jakob Berger Nielsen at the Regional Public Prosecutor in Viborg in a press release.
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