The group has been under fire from critics since the publication at the end of January of the investigative book by independent journalist Victor Castanet The Gravediggers.
Orpea CEO Philippe Charrier says in an interview with the JDD that the group, which presents its results on Friday and organizes from mid-May an open house operation to try to reassure about its practices, has “sin for lack of rigor“.
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“The time has come to build the new Orpea, with transparency», assures the CEO. “This is why we are launching the Estates General of Orpea, the idea being to open, between May 13 and June 11, the doors of our nursing homes to the families of residents, elected officials, the associative world, journalists and to all citizens interested in the issue of old age“, he specifies.
The first conclusions of the two external audits carried out by the group point to flaws in the care of patients. “Reporting of serious care-related adverse events, in particular, was too slow; there may have been omissions», recognizes Philippe Charrier. The audits also show the existence of year-end discounts from suppliers of publicly funded products. “Orpea sinned by lack of rigor. Today, we know, so we correct», assures Philippe Charrier.
Pay overtime
To fight against understaffing, the group, which will present its annual results on Friday, will “now pay overtime, study the possibility of offering better mutual insurance to its employees, facilitate their career development and status changes“, he continues. The private group recently filed a complaint against X for misuse of corporate assets.
This complaint against unnamed persons relates to past facts and operations – unrelated to the conditions of reception and care of residents – likely to raise questions with regard to the social interest of Orpea and discovered following internal investigations, explained the group at the beginning of May.
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The group has been under fire from critics since the publication at the end of January of the investigative book by independent journalist Victor Castanet The Gravediggers. A report commissioned by the government pointed to serious dysfunctions in early April. And the group has been the subject of a judicial inquiry since the end of April, opened in Nanterre, on suspicion of institutional mistreatment or financial offences.
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