Health reforms approved in France

Plans for spending cuts have drawn protests from health workers

The French parliament has approved controversial health care changes, aimed at cutting the debt burden.

Changes include a new charge of one euro (about 65p) for seeing a doctor, an increase in the welfare levy payable by pensioners, and spending cuts.

The moves are a key part of President Jacques Chirac's attempt to trim the budget deficit, which has exceeded EU limits for three years in a row.

The health care system is facing a 13bn-euro deficit (£8.5bn) this year.

Earlier this year an official report said the standard of care provided by French doctors was among the best in the world. But it said the system was "badly regulated and badly governed".

BUDGET STRAINS Health spending 9% of GDP Projected deficit this year - 13bn euros Deficit in 2010 if nothing is done - 29bn euros Healthcare deficit to account for 20% of public deficit this year

It said French general practitioners prescribe drugs worth a total of about 260,000 euros each year.

The French consume three times as many antibiotics as the Germans, and more than twice as many anti-cholesterol drugs as the British.

The reforms approved on Friday include:

• a non-reimbursable charge of one euro payable by patients for every medical consultation
• rises in welfare levies payable by both pensioners and companies
• a new reimbursement system to reward patients who use a doctor rather than going straight to a specialist
• incentives for patients to choose generic drugs over more expensive branded varieties
• cracking down on fraudulent sick leave
• new health "ID cards" to stop abuse of prescriptions

Some of the reforms have been criticised by health workers, who accuse the government of "creeping privatisation".