‘We want the public GP service to remain the first choice for residents also in the future. That is why we must renew, strengthen and improve the services, which is what is what we are doing with this budget proposal,’ says Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.

Vestre highlights three concrete proposals in the 2026 National Budget:

‘We allocate NOK 65 million to pilot online GP services, giving people the option of a digital appointment with a different municipal doctor if their own GP is unavailable.’

‘We allocate NOK 50 million to strengthen GP services with multidisciplinary teams, so patients can receive selected medical treatment from a nurse, in addition to the GP and the medical secretary at the surgery. This creates a better division of labour between healthcare professionals.’

‘Additionally, we want GP and out-of-hours services to be free for 16- and 17-year-olds, so that young people can receive healthcare regardless of their finances – and without the involvement of parents or guardians.’

Modern services with online GPs

The Storting allocated NOK 50 million for a trial of municipal online doctors in the revised national budget for 2025. The government proposes to allocate approximately NOK 83 million to the scheme in 2026. This represents an increase of NOK 65 million compared to the finalised budget for 2025. The scheme allows residents to have a digital consultation with another doctor with whom the municipality has an agreement, if their regular GP does not have capacity or available times for appointment are unsuitable.

‘Most people, in 2025, expect their GP service to be digital. The municipal online GP scheme helps to ensure that public GP services are more up-to-date, accessible and flexible,’ says Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.

The scheme will be piloted in up to 20 municipalities. The pilots will be thoroughly evaluated before the government considers a further roll-out.

Multidisciplinary GP surgeries

The government proposes to increase the allocation to the National Insurance Scheme by NOK 50 million. This increase will finance consultations at GP surgeries that the GP has delegated to a nurse.

‘In future, healthcare professionals will need to look after more patients than today. We must facilitate effective division of labour among professionals. We must also make it easier to provide healthcare close to where people live,’ says Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.

‘That is why we propose increasing funding for the National Insurance Scheme, so that GPs can receive reimbursement for consultations delegated to nurses at the GP surgery. This change will enable nurses to contribute more to patient care at GP surgeries and is a first step towards a GP service with more multidisciplinary collaboration,’ says Vestre.

Free GP services for 16- and 17-year-olds

The government wants to introduce exemption from co-payments for GP services for 16- and 17-year-olds, meaning it will be free to visit the GP and access out-of-hours services.

‘Finances should not be a barrier for young people to seek healthcare at a vulnerable stage in life. Without a co-payment, the threshold for seeking help is lower, and young people can receive assistance and treatment earlier, before any problems become more serious than they need to be,’ says Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.

‘Young people in this age group will often need money from parents to pay co-payments for healthcare. This initiative helps to ensure that young people’s right to access healthcare services without parental involvement is real,’ says Vestre.