Information provided from the Southern Health Board shows that there were 32,593 deletions from the board's medical card database from 1 January 2003 to date. The board has advised that the majority of these, 20,215, relate to clients who failed to reapply when a review of their eligibility was due and can be attributed to an increase in the number of people in employment and the improved economic situation nationally. The following is a detailed breakdown of the numbers of deletions across the various categories during this period.
Category of deletion
|
Number
|
Failed to return Review Form
|
20,215
|
Refused (Over Scale)
|
1,093
|
Deceased
|
6,869
|
Left Area
|
2,532
|
Long Stay Institution
|
684
|
Now Married
|
22
|
Registered Twice (other number remaining)
|
592
|
Did not reply to request for further information
|
298
|
Refused to Disclose Information
|
2
|
Students — Parents do not have a medical card
|
114
|
Students — Studying in an outside area
|
10
|
Over 16
|
1
|
Others
|
156
|
Parents hold a card on medical grounds
|
4
|
Means Other
|
1
|
Total
|
32,593
|