The report on Orpea and its retirement homes has just been made public by the Ministry of Solidarity and Health. He also points to major shortcomings. The General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) and that of Social Affairs (IGAS) had been seized by the authorities to investigate malfunctions following the book The Gravediggers by journalist Victor Castanet.
Financial performance is a priority within the Orpea group, and it takes precedence over quality criteria, in the objectives assigned to directors of retirement homes, according to the report. Results : ” a recurring overrun of the authorized reception capacity » ; a practice that affected one establishment out of 10 in 2019. The pressure on the payroll is strong, and is not without consequences: within Orpéa, what is called the shifting of tasks is far from exceptional . Unqualified people replace qualified employees, caregivers for example.
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Furthermore, the turnover within the group is particularly important. The instability of the teams and the frequent understaffing therefore alter the care of the residents, points out the document. Regarding the diet of the elderly, protein intake is insufficient, and for meat the weights are well below the recommendations.
Another dysfunction: the misuse of part of the public allocation that Orpea receives for the care of residents. The surplus is set aside by the group, or used in an irregular manner, instead of being allocated to care expenses.
The report of the General Inspectorates of Finance (IGF) and Social Affairs (IGAS) of more than 500 pages, is available on the website of the Ministry of Health and Solidarity.
The government took legal action, on the basis of article 40 of the criminal procedure code, which obliges any authority to report criminal acts of which it becomes aware.
Since the publication of Victor Castanet’s book, The Gravediggers, numerous acts of mistreatment as well as dysfunctions were reported by the families, thus triggering a real scandal. Nearly 80 complaints were filed “for acts of endangering the lives of others »of “non-assistance to person in danger”, but also for “manslaughter”, “violence by negligence and for “flight”.
The Orpea group made a commitment on March 30, before the senators, to find answers and solutions for all the reproaches and irregularities reported. Philippe Charrier, its new CEO, also announced the launch of a general meeting on old age in May in each of the group’s establishments, with residents and their families, elected officials, the local press, which will give rise to from ” concrete proposals “.
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