The switch itself takes three minutes on Helsenorge. The real waiting time lies somewhere else: in finding a doctor with an open list. In the summer of 2026, only one in five GP lists in Norway is open to new patients. Here is what actually takes time when you change your GP in Drammen – and how to shorten the wait.
First, a quick primer on the Norwegian GP system
If you are new to Norway, the setup is worth understanding. Everyone registered as living in Norway has the right to a fastlege – a regular general practitioner (GP) assigned to you personally. Your GP is your first point of contact for almost all non-emergency health needs, and you generally need a referral from them to see a specialist. Your municipality is legally obliged to make sure you are offered a GP.
You choose and change your GP yourself through the national health portal, Helsenorge.no, which has an English interface. You do not go through your employer or an insurance company – it is a public right.
The short answer: the switch itself is fast
Once you have found a doctor with an open list, changing is quick. You log in to Helsenorge with BankID, pick the doctor from the list, and confirm. The change takes effect on the first day of the following month. Change on 20 July, and you are on the new list from 1 August.
Your medical records are transferred electronically with your consent, so you do not need to carry papers or call your old office yourself. We describe the full process step by step here: Changing your GP in Drammen – step by step.
The real bottleneck: finding an open list
What takes time in 2026 is not the form – it is capacity. Recent figures from the Norwegian Directorate of Health show that only around 20 percent of GP lists nationwide were open to new patients as of May 2025, and that 30 percent of municipalities had no available spots on open lists at all. At the same time, roughly 180,000 residents were without a regular GP – the lowest number since autumn 2022, but still a lot of people.
In other words, if it feels hard to get onto the list you want, you are not imagining it. In many places, demand for GP spots is simply greater than supply.
What the waiting time looks like in 2026
If you put yourself on the waiting list of a GP who is popular but currently full, it can take months for a spot to open up. The Directorate of Health's statistics show that the median waiting time stabilised through 2024 and into 2025, while the average has continued to rise. In practice, that means most people get a spot within a reasonable time, while a few wait unusually long and pull the average up.
Two things decide how long you wait:
- Whether you choose an open or a closed list. Open lists have spots available right now. A closed list means a waiting list – and an unpredictable wait.
- Where in the country you live. Big cities such as Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim had few or no available spots in spring 2025. Availability varies between municipalities, and even within a city like Drammen.
The situation in Drammen
Drammen is a growing city, and several of the established clinics in the town centre have had full lists for some time. Whether you live in Bragernes, Strømsø or elsewhere in Drammen municipality, it is worth checking for open spots on Helsenorge before you commit to a waiting list. A list that is open today may be full in a few weeks – it pays to act when the opportunity is there.
If you have just arrived in the city, slightly different rules apply. When you move to Drammen, you keep your right to a GP, but you can choose one closer to your new home. We have written a dedicated guide for newcomers: New in Drammen? How to find a GP.
How to shorten the wait
You cannot control the capacity of the GP scheme, but you can make a few moves that improve your chances of getting a spot quickly:
- Prioritise open lists. On Helsenorge you can see which doctors have spots available right now. Choose one of them and you skip the waiting list entirely.
- Check often. Open spots appear continuously as doctors expand their lists or new doctors start. What was full last week may be open today.
- Be flexible on the clinic. If you are open to a newer clinic or a doctor with spare capacity, you often get there faster than by queueing for one specific doctor.
- Use the switches you have. You can change GP up to twice a year without giving a reason. So it costs nothing to take an open spot now and change again later if needed.
If you are not assigned a GP at all, your municipality is obliged to arrange one. Contact the municipal health administration and ask to be put on a waiting list. If you need help with the switch itself, you can call Helfo on +47 33 97 18 00 (they can assist in English).
How often can you change?
Under the regulation on patient rights in the GP scheme, you have the right to change your GP up to twice per calendar year. If you change because you have moved, or because your doctor reduces or closes their list, that does not count towards your two switches – so you are entitled to an extra one.
Wondering whether it is the right time to change at all? We have looked at five common reasons – and when it actually pays to wait: Why do patients change GP?.
Skip the waiting list
Hotvet legesenter at Rosenkrantzgata 75, in the centre of Drammen, has open spots on its lists. That means the switch is done in minutes – no queue.
See available GP spotsThis article provides general information about the Norwegian GP scheme and does not replace individual assessment. If you are unsure what applies to your situation, talk to your GP or contact Helfo.