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Duty of Confidentiality

Duty of Confidentiality

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As a student at OsloMet you may in connection with your studies obtain information subject to a duty of confidentiality. When you register in Studentweb each semester, you confirm that you are aware that a duty of confidentiality applies.

Any violation of the statutory duty of confidentiality may be liable to fines or imprisonment (the Norwegian General Civil Code § 121). The duty of confidentiality applies at any time, also during spare time and after you have completed your studies.

What does the duty of confidentiality imply?

OsloMet processes a variety of personal information, as well as information regarding technical devices and procedures, operational or business matters that for competition reasons it is important to keep secret.

If you in connection with your studies at OsloMet obtain such information, you must not use, disclose or in any other way make this information available for internal or external third parties. Furthermore, you must not make use of this information for any other purpose than for duties instructed by OsloMet.

Which acts apply to the duty of confidentiality?

The Norwegian Act relating to Universities and University Colleges §4-6. Obligation of students to observe secrecy

If you in connection with your studies become acquainted with anyone’s personal circumstances, you are obliged to observe secrecy according to current regulations.

The Norwegian Health Personnel Act

If you work as health personnel through OsloMet, you shall prevent others from gaining access to information relating to people’s health or medical condition or other personal information you obtain through your capacity as health personnel. (§21)

If you are working with electronic processing of confidential information at OsloMet, you are subject to the same duty of confidentiality. (§ 25)

The duty of confidentiality also apply for personnel employed in patient administration. (§ 26)

The Norwegian Public Administration Act, §13

If you are rendering services to, or working for an administrative agency, you are responsible for preventing others from gaining access to, or obtaining knowledge of, any matters subject to the duty confidentiality. Example of such matters may be:

  • An individual's personal affairs.

  • Technical devices and procedures, as well as operational or business matters which for competition reasons it is important to keep secret.

The Norwegian Public Administration Act, § 13e

If you are rendering services or work in connection with a research assignment which an administrative agency has supported, approved, or to which it has provided information subject to a duty of confidentiality, you must prevent others from gaining access to or knowledge of:

  1. Information subject to a duty of confidentiality which the researcher obtains from an administrative agency.

  2. Information received from private sources upon pledge of secrecy in connection with the research.

  3. Information concerning persons who are dependent upon the body (OsloMet) which has arranged for their contact with the researcher.

The Norwegian Specialist Health Services Act, § 6-1

If you are rendering services or work for an health institution  subject to the Specialist Health Services Act, you have a duty of confidentiality in accordance with the Public Administration Act §§ 13 to 13e. The duty of confidentiality also applies to birthplace, date of birth, personal identification number, citizenship, marital status, occupation, place of residence and workplace. Information regarding the patient’s whereabouts’ may still be given if it is evident that providing this information will not damage the trust towards the health institution.

The Norwegian General Civil Penal Code, § 121

If you wilfully or through gross negligence violate the duty of confidentiality applicable for your work at OsloMet , you are liable to fines or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

If you commit breach of duty for the purpose of acquiring yourself or another person with an unlawful gain or if for such a purpose you in any other way use information that is subject to a duty of secrecy, you shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years. The provision also applies to any breach of the duty of confidentiality committed after you have concluded your service or work at OsloMet.

More information about the acts may be found on Lovdata's website.