Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to increase staffing levels and improve efficiency in the medical card unit in view of ongoing delays in the processing of medical card applications, particularly for applicants recently diagnosed or undergoing treatment for serious illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13277/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) National Medical Card Unit (NMCU) has responsibility over the management of staffing levels to ensure sufficient medical card turnaround times.  

A key performance indicator within the NMCU is the processing of Medical Card and GP Visit Card applications within 15 working days of receipt of application.  The HSE has advised that the NMCU are currently working within a 15 day turnaround for all completed applications including applicants diagnosed or undergoing treatment of a serious illness.

It is useful to note that on the 15th January the HSE launched its new National Medical Card online service www.medicalcard.ie.  This new system enables people to make an online application for a medical card that is faster and more convenient than the current paper based system.