-
Speed limits to (mostly) drop to 30 km/h in this French city
The new measure will improve noise and pollution, improve safety and encourage cycling, say local authorities
-
Thousands of French parking fines cancelled after IT bug
The fines had been issued in error after IT system was privatised
-
Watchdog highlights Christmas food shopping ‘scams’ in France
Pastries with palm oil, excess packaging, inflated prices…vote for the worst ‘scam’ in this food watchdog’s annual contest
France announces extra €40m fund for mental healthcare
French health minister Agnès Buzyn has promised an extra fund of €40 million to finance her plan to improve psychiatric and mental healthcare provision across France.
Ms Buzyn had already announced the measures in summer 2018.
Plans are expected to offer extra mental health training for students, measures to prevent suicide in those with mental health problems, and the improved development of mental healthcare provision for children.
The minister announced the extra funding during a meeting of mental health professionals in Paris.
The €40 million will be added to the €64 million that was released for the sector in December 2018, and the €10 million ring fenced to be put towards mental healthcare innovation.
Ms Buzyn said: “In total, this represents €100 million extra per year for psychiatry and mental health, from this year onwards.”
Much of the extra money will, she said, be focused on “offering accommodation for people with psychiatric problems”, with €15 million dedicated to building around “250 inclusive accommodation units”. These will provide a “third way between in-patient accommodation and independent living”.
The money will also go towards helping people with psychiatric problems to get back into work, with €7 million dedicated to this from 2019, versus the €5 million spent in 2018.
Ms Buzyn has also promised to name a ministerial representative for psychiatry and mental health, and to launch a “mission dedicated to the evolution of medical-psychological centres (centres médico-psychologiques (CMP))”.
And, as outlined in the government’s health plan in September, there will also be the creation of a new, two-year advanced training course for nurses in psychiatry and mental health.
The new measures have been announced two days after a protest of around 300 nurses, doctors and relatives of mental health patients in Paris.
The movement - which was demanding more healthcare staff - was spearheaded by a number of healthcare unions, alongside representatives of psychiatric hospitals from Amiens, Rouen and le Havre.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France