Shortall: 'Serious teething problems' with centralisation of medical card applications
Junior Health Minister Roisín Shortall has said there are "serious teething problems" with a new centralised system for medical card applications.
Minister Shorthall said the system was set up far too quickly and without sufficient staff numbers.
Over 100 GPs in the north-east have withdrawn from primary care teams because of the delays experienced by patients trying to renew or apply for medical cards.
Minister Shorthall said there is a need to educate people about the application process to ensure patients have the correct information - but she accepted that the system itself has its problems.
"There is no doubt there is a problem there," Minister Shortall said.
"And I was vocal earlier this year in July when they decided to centralise the applications for the entire country.
"I thought they did that far too quickly, without being sufficiently geared up, and without having sufficient staff.
"HSE went ahead and introduced the centralisation, and there are serious teething problems."
