a pre-investigation report overwhelms the group’s financial management

Overwhelming. The preliminary administrative investigation report, drawn up by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) and that of Social Affairs (IGAS) revealed by The world (for subscribers) Monday, March 21, points out the shortcomings of the group of private nursing homes Orpea. They had already been highlighted by the journalist Victor Castanet in his book-investigation The Gravediggerswhose publication in February had created a veritable earthquake within the sector.

According to this report, the group “confirms the savings made by the group thanks to public money”. It increases its profits by hiring fewer caregivers than the public grants allocated for this purpose allow. According to The worldThe report “corrobates, with a few exceptions, the facts brought to light by Mr. Castanet: the IGF and the IGAS consider that Orpea is primarily pursuing a budgetary performance objective which contributes to the poor quality of life of residents and of care which are given to them”.

In terms of care and daily life, the administration inspectors believe that “respect for hygiene, toileting time, monitoring of bedsores, prevention of falls are affected by the lack of staff time” and fall under “deficiencies in the menus, considered too little copious”. Furthermore, on the financial level, the group generated a “excess of 20 million euros” thanks to that “under-consumption of public funds paid by the Regional Health Agencies (ARS) and the departmental councils over the period 2017-2020”points the daily.

Asked by AFP, the office of the Minister Delegate for the Autonomy of the Elderly, Brigitte Bourguignon, assured that this report was to be made public this week and that the government was awaiting responses from Orpea.