A hidden camera revealed that ambulance crews in North Jutland were ordered to fake their station locations to make emergency coverage appear better than it was. The practice may have left parts of the region without real emergency medical presence for long stretches of time.
Ambulances Missing from Their Stations
In the coastal town of Løkken, a TV 2 investigation found an ambulance base standing empty across an entire weekend, even though the official schedule said one should be stationed there. Emergency crews confirmed to reporters that they were often told to log in as if they were at a base while actually being miles away.
According to seven paramedics from the region, the problem extends beyond Løkken and includes several North Jutland towns. The crews said they were instructed by the central dispatch in Aalborg to mark themselves as active in different cities, making it seem like ambulances were distributed evenly across the region when they were not.
One rescuer described the situation as deceptive paperwork. Another said it made statistics look good on paper but left residents waiting longer for help.
Fake Coverage and Delayed Help
When an ambulance is missing from a town like Løkken, the next available unit must travel from nearby cities such as Pandrup or Hjørring, 17 to 21 kilometers away. For patients suffering from a stroke or cardiac arrest, even small delays can be devastating.
The national watchdog group found earlier this year that Region North Jutland was already one of Denmark’s slowest to meet its own response time targets. In Løkken, the average response time between 2021 and 2025 reached nearly 17 minutes, one of the longest in the region.
Løkken’s empty garage is not an isolated case. Residents living close to the base told TV 2 they rarely see an ambulance there. Rescue workers also mentioned similar issues in Nibe, Hirtshals, and Sæby.
System Under Strain
Emergency operations in North Jutland are divided between a private company called PreMed and the region’s own service, known as the Prehospital Unit. Each manages 13 bases that must meet specific coverage requirements.
The region took over ambulance operations from Falck in 2022 with promises of more efficient, locally run services. But staffing shortages and complex logistics have made it hard to keep ambulances in place.
Some ambulance staff said the pressure to maintain official coverage led supervisors to use what they call “creative bookkeeping” by logging vehicles at one station while they were working elsewhere.
Officials Respond
Martin Rostgaard-Knudsen, the Prehospital Unit’s medical director, admitted the situation “looks skewed” but denied it amounted to fraud. He said it stemmed from a flawed registration process that the agency is now changing.
He explained that vehicles are sometimes moved around temporarily to cover busier areas but added that new rules require all units to be physically present where they are logged in.
Still, he acknowledged that communication gaps remain and promised that the region would fix inconsistencies.
Patient Groups Call for Change
The director of the national patient organization, Danske Patienter, warned that proper ambulance staffing is vital for survival in life-threatening emergencies. He urged Region North Jutland to take the problem seriously and ensure consistent coverage across rural and coastal areas.
He added that since Denmark has fewer, larger hospitals today, reliable emergency health coverage in every part of the country matters more than ever.
The issue also highlights broader systemic challenges in Denmark’s healthcare network. While residents enjoy universal medical care, uneven response times and regional staffing gaps have exposed cracks in its emergency readiness.
What Comes Next
For now, Region North Jutland says it has started revising its internal guidelines and will investigate each case where ambulances were wrongly logged in. Critics, however, want full transparency and clear data about where vehicles are actually deployed.
Even though most incidents do not end in tragedy, the lack of accurate public reporting means no one can be entirely sure how many patients have been affected. What is clear is that empty garages and misleading statistics have shaken public confidence in one of the most essential parts of Denmark’s emergency care system.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Danish Healthcare Explained for Tourists & Expats
The Danish Dream: Best Private Hospitals in Denmark for Foreigners
TV2: Region afsløret i ambulance-fusk for rullende kamera
