The French deputies of the Social Affairs Committee heard, this Wednesday, February 2, the CEO and the general manager of Orpea, the world’s number one group of nursing homes. This hearing follows the revelations of the book The Gravediggers, by journalist Victor Castenet. He accuses the group of mistreating its residents to maximize its profits. The hearing was very tense.
Two hours of face-to-face between the leaders of the Orpea group and the French deputies. From right, from left, they are all outraged by the revelations of the book The Gravediggers.
They are waiting for precise answers from Orpea on the acts of mistreatment of which it is accused. In the end, they only get vague denials.
Too technocratic, not concrete enough. Except on diaper rationing for the elderly. Philippe Charrier, the CEO, draws his figures:
We told me “it’s a maximum of three coats a day“. But no, in Neuilly, 2020: 4.6. 2019: 5.4 diapers. But of course, we don’t count them! We have never refused orders for protection. So obviously, if a supplier is out of stock, there may be small differentials
The CEO downplays the book’s accusations. He denies the existence of a system organized to maximize profit. And he warns: his group could be endangered.
►Read also: Abuse in Ehpad, Orpea in the crosshairs of the French State
MPs are appalled. The chair of the Social Affairs Committee, Fadila Khattabi, cut it short:
The national representation, I’m telling you frankly, I’m not hiding it, is disappointed with the quality of your answers, or the lack of answer, so we’ll see this hearing end there, I’m not hiding my disappointment from you either. .
The commission now wants to hear from the journalist Victor Castanet.
►To re-read: Abuse in Ehpad, the ex-boss of Orpea sold his shares before the release of the book