Psychiatric unit at Aarhus University Hospital replaces broken alarm system with whistles

The alarm system in the psychiatric department at Aarhus University Hospital failed entirely on Tuesday morning, forcing staff to rely on whistles to summon help in emergencies, DR reports.

The temporary measure has left employees uncertain and concerned, as the psychiatric unit treats severely ill patients, many of whom are detained by court order or under involuntary commitment. “Most are too ill to be in society, and many are dangerous,” said Peter Møller Andersen, chief physician at the hospital’s psychiatry department.

Staff received whistles without instructions on how to use them, raising doubts about their effectiveness. “Do we whistle once, twice, or three times? This isn’t The Sound of Music,” Andersen said. “It’s surreal, and we’ve been told not to test them, because people might come running—maybe.”

Lene Kuntz, a workplace safety representative, described the situation as “unserious,” with employees struggling to believe their safety now depends on plastic whistles. “People don’t trust their own ears when they hear this,” she said. “Colleagues joke that they’d better whistle an extra time. They’re sarcastic because we can barely believe our safety is a plastic whistle.”

Andersen confirmed that around 550 alarms in the psychiatric unit require repair. He canceled his own leadership seminar to remain on-site, providing some reassurance to staff. Meanwhile, Kuntz called for a reliable emergency plan to ensure safety for both employees and patients if the phone-based alarm system fails again.

The hospital’s management has not yet commented on the situation.