The area of forensic psychiatry at the university hospital is 16 hectares in size and has 101 care places. Today, around 15 people are patrolling the fence, but in two years, only a humming sound will be heard along the enclosure. The surveillance security personnel will be replaced by drones.
We want to redistribute employees from resource-demanding tasks to working closer to patients, says Oskar Holmberg, project manager and security manager at the forensic psychiatry Rågården in Gothenburg.
The project is currently in the starting blocks, but the idea is that the drones will capture data from both patients and staff.
Vulnerable situation
But the plans are met with criticism.
That one introduces such an intrusive measure to handle a resource issue is something that can really be questioned, says Moa Dahlin, associate professor of public law at Uppsala University, who researches, among other things, compulsory care.
She emphasizes that according to both regulations for data protection and compulsory care, there must be clear legal support for such surveillance. It must also be considered whether less intrusive measures are possible and whether the effort is necessary.
The people who are to be monitored are in a vulnerable situation and want to be cooperative, it cannot be ensured that their consent is voluntary, says Moa Dahlin.
Oskar Holmberg believes that the solution with drones is cost-effective.
Our security work should infringe as little as possible on care, but at the same time, these people are sentenced to care and there will be a certain type of security work, he says.
Humans or machines
Vice chairman of the section for the Nursing Association in Västra Götaland, Matilda Eriksson, hopes that the innovation project can contribute to increased safety.
As long as the technology works, it does not matter if it is humans or machines that search the area, she says.
At the same time, there is a concern about how stored data will be used.
We mean that you should not be allowed to use the drone's information in personnel matters, says Matilda Eriksson.
The purpose of the project is not to identify personnel problems, but what happens if problem behavior is discovered via drones will have to be discussed further.
It will be a discussion between managers and trade unions, says Oskar Holmberg.
Lina Conrad/TT
Facts: New rules on camera surveillance
TT
Since April 1, 2025, no permit is required for camera surveillance. This means that no application to the Integrity Protection Authority (IMY) is needed.
The new rules mean that those who want to monitor instead must make a weighing of interests between the monitoring interest and the individual's interest in not being monitored for each monitoring. This must be documented.
The operation that wants to monitor must follow the rules in the Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Camera Surveillance Act.
Although no application for monitoring is required, IMY may choose to conduct supervision of operations, but also help to determine whether an operation's camera surveillance is permitted.
Camera in the sense of the law also includes drones.
Source: Integrity Protection Authority
Sahlgrenska University Hospital's new project with drones is part of the Västra Götaland Region's (VGR) initiative "Gathering of forces drones".
The project is financed by the Innovation Fund, which has provided SEK 800,000 in support. Right now, pilot runs are being conducted where six people are being trained as drone pilots.
It will require at least two drones to monitor the enclosed area, where patients and employees have activities of various kinds.
The innovation project at Sahlgrenska is in the starting blocks and has not yet started collecting any data.
The idea is that the drones, together with an AI solution, will save human resources, streamline monitoring and detect deviations within forensic psychiatry.
In two years, the patrolling security personnel at the facility are expected to be replaced by drones.
Source: Sahlgrenska University Hospital
