Ehpad: the conclusions of the investigation into the Orpea group returned to the government

The Orpea affair continues to make ink flow. After six weeks of investigation, the finance and social affairs inspectorates have just submitted their report to the government on 26 March. The latter also announces to file a complaint against the private group. The reimbursement of the allocations of public funds granted will also be requested.

A dual administrative and financial investigation

The investigation was requested following the facts denounced by the independent journalist Victor Castanet, in his book Les Fossoyeurs. It is by means of a press release that the ministry responsible for the autonomy of the elderly explains that the Orpea group is guilty of “significant dysfunctions in the organization of the group, to the detriment of the care of the residents”.

Also according to the ministry, the reports have “brought to light presumed irregular practices, in particular the absence of accounting monitoring of surpluses on public funding and non-compliant charging of expenditure to the care and dependency sections financed by public grants”.

Millions at stake

On the financial side, the stakes would be high since the sums amount to “several million euros” according to Brigitte Bourguignon, the Minister Delegate for the Autonomy of the Elderly, interviewed by our colleagues from France Inter.

And according to the preliminary report published in the good sheets of the World on March 21, the group would have made savings of around 20 million euros, between 2017 and 2020, by hiring fewer staff than what the public endowments allowed him, for example.

A lack of supervision and supervisors

Orpea is also accused of “artificially increase the cost of purchases financed by public money, via a system of end-of-year discounts granted by its suppliers“.

For the Minister Delegate for the Autonomy of the Elderly, “nutritional quality issues proposed dishes were noted. She also notes the lack of “supervisors and supervisors who were not up to the task”.

Conclusions that will not be made public

However, the exact conclusions of the two reports will not be made public. Indeed, according to our colleagues from France Info, “the ministry’s cabinet will keep the reports confidential due to business secrecy, as they could become exhibits in any legal proceedings.”.

Quickly, several voices were raised to denounce this lack of transparency. And although the minister has opposed an end of non-receipt in the pages of the Journal du Dimanche, the legal argument advanced is struggling to convince. On March 29, the Minister Delegate for Autonomy Brigitte Bourguignon will be heard by the Senate, and the question should then arise.

The government also announces that it will also file a complaint against the group and asks for the restitution of the public endowments made, “allegedly diverted from their purposes“.

The Orpea group recognizes “dysfunctions”

In a press release, the Orpea group acknowledges that the reports have brought to light “malfunctions“, but denies the presence of a “organized system that would result in widespread mistreatment”. For its part, the government will continue its checks, which will be carried out in the ARS in the 7,500 nursing homes in France, within two years.