Companies. The Orpea affair has revived with a bang the question of the for-profit status of private accommodation establishments for dependent elderly people (Ehpad). It seems, in fact, that the race for shareholder profitability and the myopic reduction of costs would have had deleterious and unacceptable effects for certain residents.
Should nursing homes be public or non-profit establishments? This is not the only possible alternative, and the government rightly mentions the transition from private nursing homes to mission-based companies. Because, while strengthening regulatory controls, this form of company would better protect residents and promote an inventive dynamic in the sector.
The use of private investment exists in medicine and in all sectors of care. It provides financial capacity and development possibilities that the public budget cannot always replace. The State has therefore sought so far to avoid the excesses of private nursing homes with conventional means: the development of specifications governing the operation of these establishments and the establishment of regular checks.
However, these two devices were not enough, while Orpea is a leader in the sector, visible throughout the territory. How then can we believe that, without reducing the financial pressure, a reinforcement of controls will be enough to guarantee a more human service and more respectful of the residents? How can we forget that their particular vulnerability requires that their protection and dignity be at the heart of the institution’s strategy and all management actions?
A double check
Private nursing homes should therefore engage with their residents, families, staff and public authorities, on the basis of an explicit and enforceable mission by each of these parties. Because the quality of life at work for caregivers is inseparable from the physical and mental well-being of residents. And the establishment must fit into regional care and service networks that also adhere to this mission.
The status of “company with a mission”, created by the Pacte law (Action plan for the growth and transformation of companies) in 2019, requires that such commitments become imperative for both shareholders and managers. In addition, the law requires a double control: the creation of an internal mission committee and the regular use of an independent external audit, both responsible for ensuring the proper execution of the mission.
You have 27.37% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.