The leaders of Orpea, in turmoil since the publication of a journalistic investigation which denounces the reception conditions in their nursing homes, were summoned on Tuesday, February 1, by Brigitte Bourguignon, the Minister Delegate in charge of Autonomy. Franceinfo summarizes the storm caused for a week by the revelations of the book The Gravediggers.
1 A book reveals deplorable reception conditions in nursing homes
The first excerpts from the book-investigation The Gravediggers (Fayard), by Victor Castanet, are published on Monday January 24 in The world. In this book, the result of three years of investigation and 250 testimonies, the independent journalist describes a system where hygiene care, medical care and meals for residents of the Orpea group nursing homes are sometimes “rationed”, due to a “cost reduction policy” aimed at improving profitability.
The Orpea group, which has 65,500 employees in 23 countries, claims 372 establishments in France, the vast majority of which are retirement homes. However, these last, even private, benefit from significant funding from the State and departmental councils, underlines the author, calling the authorities to review the procedures for controlling the major groups in the sector.
The same day, a Mediapart article also accused the company’s management of irregularities in the recruitment of its employees on fixed-term contracts. Orpea would have signed short contracts on the grounds of replacing employees on permanent contracts, which, “in many cases, would not exist”.
2Orpea share price plummets
These revelations have an immediate effect on the group’s share price. From Monday, January 24, the Orpea title on the Paris Stock Exchange fell by more than 16%, before its listing was suspended for 24 hours, at the request of management. A week after the start of the controversy, the title has lost almost half of its value.
The securities of other private managers of retirement homes have also borne the brunt of this controversy, such as Korian (-6% between January 23 and February 1), the first group of private nursing homes in France.
3The company strongly denies
Monday evening, the company denies the accusations of the book and Mediapart and deplores a “manifest intention to harm”. According to the group’s managing director, Yves Le Masne, the testimonies reported in The gravediggers come from a minority of former employees of the company, who would have nurtured a “bitterness” after leaving her. Orpea also claims to have seized its lawyers to give “all suites [à cette affaire], including at the judicial level”.
4The government orders an administrative investigation in an establishment of the group
The next day, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, assured the National Assembly that he had “asked the Minister Delegate in charge of Autonomy, Brigitte Bourguignon, to immediately seize the Orpea group, so that answers can be provided”. “In the light of its conclusions, I will see if it is necessary to initiate an investigation by the general inspectorate on the whole group”, he adds, Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Brigitte Bourguignon let RMC know that she “summons the management of Orpea for explanations”. She also announces “ask the administration for a flash survey”, i.e. fast, concerning the group. From Thursday, theat the residence Les Bords de Seine, in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine), particularly singled out in Victor Castanet’s investigation, is targeted by this investigation required by the Ile-de-France Regional Health Agency (ARS) and the Hauts-de-Seine departmental council, which each finance part of the activity of the nursing homes. According to the testimony of an employee, the ARS inspectors were numerous, carried out multiple hearings and seized documents.
We learn, Monday, January 31, that this same residence is also the subject of a preliminary investigation opened in 2020 by the Nanterre prosecution, after a complaint was filed for acts of manslaughter concerning a resident.
5The CEO of Orpea is sacked
The private group, which continues to reject these accusations as a whole, is trying to put an end to the controversy by dismissing, on Sunday January 30, its general manager for more than ten years, Yves Le Masne. The non-executive chairman of the group’s board of directors since March 2017, Philippe Charrier, succeeds him, announces a press release. In particular, it will be responsible for “shed light on the allegations made” relying on a “independent assessment mission”, entrusted to “two leading firms”, always “being designated”.
6A collective action of families of residents will be launched
Monday January 31, lawyer Sarah Saldmann announces on franceinfo the launch in early March of a “joint class action” families of angry residents. By filing a complaint simultaneously, they “intend to be number, to have weight in front of a giant”, she explains, even if each complaint will be autonomous. According to the files, it could be a complaint for “manslaughter, deliberate endangerment of the life of others, negligent violence” Where “no assistance to the person in danger”, she explains..
7The private nursing home sector reacts
The same day, Synerpa, the main union of private nursing homes, reacted to the controversy and ensured that the sector “has nothing to hide” and is even asking for more checks. “This crisis highlights the need to urgently review the quality control and evaluation systems in nursing homes”, underlined during a press conference the general delegate of Synerpa, Florence Arnaiz-Maumé.
The professional organization will also soon set up a commission to draw up a “Code of ethics”, specifies this person in charge, for whom the dysfunctions evoked in the book, “if they are proven, are reprehensible”. “What is said in this book (…) is at odds with what other players in the sector, at least what happens at home, do on a daily basis”, also provides on franceinfo Sophie Boissard, the general manager of the Korian group.
8Orpea promises to shed “all the light” on the facts denounced
While denying it until then en bloc, the company published a full-page press release on Tuesday, February 1 in The Parisian, to affirm that it intends to do “all the light” on the alleged facts. “Failures may exist”, corn “Rest assured that everywhere, always, as soon as we become aware of a malfunction, we take all measures to remedy it”, assure the leaders of the group. This “letter to families”, intended for “reassure”, to be published Wednesday in most regional newspapers.
9A summons to the minister and two new investigations ordered
The Director General for France, Jean-Christophe Romersi, and the new CEO, Philippe Charrier, are summoned on Tuesday February 1 by the Minister for Autonomy, Brigitte Bourguignon. “We are not going to be satisfied with explanations during an appointment to a summons”, warns, shortly before their arrival, the minister on France Inter. The latter also announces the launch of two surveys: one administrative, from the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (IGAS) and the other financial, from the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF). “In addition, all the regional health agencies (ARS) will go to see all the establishments in this group”, she adds.
The opening of a double procedure targeting a group of private nursing homes as a whole “is a first, because you have to hit hard to show that you are not doing just anything” in this sector, “a lucrative activity but which should not be to the detriment of good treatment”, judges the minister.
Asked about this case Tuesday afternoon at the National Assembly, the Prime Minister shows his support for residents and families “who were victims of these acts”. “Our vigilance must apply to everyone, which implies more controls”, declares Jean Castex in front of the deputies. “We will also review the accreditation procedures of these establishments.”
“We are very happy to have these inspections and controls”, reacts for his part the new CEO of Orpea, Philippe Charrier, who also announces that his group plans to file a complaint against the author of the book, the journalist Victor Castanet.