Patients requiring short-term medical leave will no longer be required to provide a weekly doctor’s certificate to receive the social benefit, Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon announced at a press conference.

Individuals will be required to appear before a medical board to claim sickness benefits, and are obliged to provide a certificate once their doctor clears them of illness.

The initiative forms part of two projects designed to address bureaucracy issues following the ministry’s key performance indicators which were published last September.

The second will see the pink slips (Karta Roza), which entitle families and individuals who require non-contributory benefits, will no longer need to be renewed every couple of months; and will now be renewed closer to when the slip expires.

With regards to the first initiative, Falzon along with Anthony Decesare, who heads the simplification of administration within the ministry, said that it will reduce the workload of about 100,000 certificates, which will translate to greater efficiency.

The minister said that the initiative involving the pink slip system will reduce roughly 6,000 different visits to district offices, which is 80 per cent of the 13,000 annual visits.

The cards will now be issued electronically, and will save roughly 25,000 cards per year.