Complaints against doctors in Luxembourg peak
Source: EVG Kowalievska, Pexels
The Collège médical of Luxembourg has published statistics on appeals over the last six years: from 69 cases in 2019, the number of complaints has risen to 214 in 2024, breaking all previous records. The majority of appeals come from patients: there were 145 last year, up from 41 in 2019.
It is not only patients who complain: since 2019, there have been cases of "doctor versus doctor" or "doctor versus patient" conflicts, as well as complaints related to the activities of medical institutions and even disputes within associations. The "other" category - for example, fake certificates - has more than doubled over the year (from 20 to 55 cases).
It is important to understand: the Board does not sanction or investigate. Its job is to refer cases, if necessary, to the prosecutor's office or the Ministry of Health. It does not have disciplinary power - this is handled by a separate board.
One of the thorny issues is the length of time it takes to process complaints. The Ministry's official response states that on average a case is processed "within a reasonable time," but much depends on the complexity and availability of the parties. There are times when the complainant does not provide documents and the doctor does not respond. In some cases - for example, when waiting for conclusions from the prosecutor's office or external bodies - the case can drag on for up to 5 years.
This is possible. The panel reserves the right not to consider anonymous, non-argumented or out-of-competence applications. It may also dismiss a case if the matter is already pending in court.
