It is not discrimination to call a Sami a Sami

Published 6 August 2024 at 08.23

Domestic. A patient in northern Sweden felt offended by a journal entry about her Sami origins. But now the Discrimination Ombudsman (DO) has decided not to pursue the case further, writes Läkartidningen.

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The incident occurred in the fall of 2022 when the woman visited a regionally run care facility and was asked about her Sami origin by a doctor.

The doctor also noted this in the medical record along with a comment that the woman “does not seek care unnecessarily”.

According to the notification to the DO, the patient perceived also that the doctor made generalizing statements that Sami people rarely seek care.

After investigating the case, however, the DO assesses that the record entry did not constitute discrimination according to the Discrimination Act, as the patient was not disadvantaged in his contact with care.

DO, however, points out the importance of healthcare professionals “not speaking out in a way that violates someone's dignity and that is related to, for example, ethnic affiliation”.