The Orpea group, accused of mistreatment in its Ehpad, announced in a press release, Sunday January 30, “end” to the functions of its managing director at the international level, Yves Le Masne. The current non-executive chairman of the group’s board of directors, Philippe Charrier, will replace him. The new director “will have the task of guaranteeing, under the control of the board [d’administration]that best practices are applied throughout the company and to shed full light on the allegations made, based in particular on the valuation missions entrusted by the Board of Directors to two independent firms in the process of being appointed “, the group said in a press release.
>> Abuse in nursing homes: three questions about “Les Fossoyeurs”, the book that shakes the French giant Orpea
At the origin of these shocks, the book-investigation The Gravediggers by independent journalist Victor Castanet describes a system where hygiene care, medical treatment and even residents’ meals are “rationed” to improve the profitability of the company. And this while stays are charged at full price.
Orpea launched assessment missions on Wednesday, saying “take very seriously” the facts reported in Victor Castanet’s book-investigation, The Gravediggers, released this week. An inspection was also launched Thursday by the Ile-de-France Regional Health Agency at the Les Bords de Seine retirement home, in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine): this Orpea establishment had already been inspected by the ARS in 2018, without effect.
The director general of Orpea France, Jean-Christophe Romersi, who is not mentioned in the press release, is also summoned on Tuesday February 1 by Brigitte Bourguignon, the Minister Delegate for the Autonomy of the Elderly. According to information from franceinfo, this will not allow the group to escape an investigation by the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas) in its other retirement homes. The government will also take measures to strengthen controls in nursing homes , learned franceinfo Friday from government sources.