The Orpea logo on the pediment of the nursing home “Les bords de Seine”, January 26, 2022 in Neuillyt-sur-Seine, near Paris (AFP / ALAIN JOCARD)
Accused of serious shortcomings in the care of the residents of its retirement homes, the Orpea group tried to ignite a counter-fire by dismissing its general manager before the summons of its leaders by the government on Tuesday, and is now exposed to “collective action” by families.
The company’s board of directors has announced the departure of Yves Le Masne, managing director for more than ten years. He was replaced by Philippe Charrier, promoted from non-executive chairman to CEO.
A new boss responsible for “ensuring that best practices are applied throughout the company and shedding light on the allegations” which have shaken the French giant of retirement homes for a week – 1,156 establishments, more than 116,000 beds in 23 country-, indicates the group in a press release.
At the origin of this earthquake, the book-investigation “Les Fossoyeurs” by independent journalist Victor Castanet describes a system where hygiene care, medical care and even residents’ meals are “rationed” to improve profitability. of the company. And this while stays are charged at full price.
– Towards more controls? –
The Minister Delegate for the Autonomy of the Elderly, Brigitte Bourguignon, at the Elysée Palace on October 7, 2021 (AFP/Archives/Thomas SAMSON)
With the director of Orpea France, Jean-Christophe Romersi, the new CEO is expected Tuesday morning in the office of the Minister Delegate for the Autonomy of the Elderly, Brigitte Bourguignon. The minister summoned the two leaders “to hear them on the substantiated and exceptionally serious accusations” contained in the book, she said on Twitter.
On the judicial level, Orpea is also under the threat of a “joint collective action” launched by families of angry residents. By filing a complaint simultaneously, these families “intend to be number, to have weight in the face of a giant”, explained Monday their lawyer, Me Sarah Saldmann, who wants to launch this procedure within a few weeks for, according to the files, “manslaughter , deliberate endangerment of the life of others, violence by negligence” or “non-assistance to a person in danger”.
Particularly singled out in “Les Fossoyeurs”, the Ehpad Orpea “Les bords de Seine”, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, is also the subject of a preliminary investigation opened in 2020 by the Nanterre prosecutor’s office, at the following a complaint for acts of manslaughter concerning a resident. “We are not aware of such a complaint”, reacted Monday evening Orpea, questioned by AFP.
It is also this establishment which was inspected on Friday at the request of the regional health agency (ARS) of Ile-de-France and the departmental council of Hauts-de-Seine.
Private retirement homes have “nothing to hide” and the sector is even asking for more checks, Synerpa, the main union for private nursing homes, insisted on Monday. “This crisis highlights the need to urgently review the quality control and evaluation systems in nursing homes”, underlined during a press point its general delegate Florence Arnaiz-Maumé. The professional organization will also soon set up a commission to draw up an “ethical charter”, said this official.
– “Facade measurement” –
The Ehpad residence “Les bords de Seine” of the Orpea group, on January 26, 2022 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris (AFP / ALAIN JOCARD)
Cornered, the Orpea group still disputes any breach: the dismissal of Mr. Le Masne “does not in any way presage that the accusations are founded”, according to a source close to the group. The company wants to “clear (its) honor” and “improve the system if there have been any malfunctions”, adds this source.
The title Orpea, which had halved on the stock market last week, again lost 7.35% on Monday, in a slightly rising market.
For Camille Lamarche, who was a lawyer for almost a year at Orpea in 2018 in the human resources department and testifies in Victor Castanet’s book, the dismissal of the director is “a facade measure”.
Human resources management at Orpea “is a systematic and thoughtful policy which makes it possible to save money at the expense of the working conditions of employees”, she said on France Inter on Monday. “The unions, especially the CGT, are the bane of HR”. The management has set up “a house union”, the Rainbow union, according to her.
These “anti-union methods” have “participated in the non-manifestation of the truth about the serious actions of the Orpea system”, commented for its part the CGT, which called for “independent investigations” with all the companies of the group. .
gbh-cac-ab-ito/cel/dlm
© 2022 AFP
Did you like this article ? Share it with your friends with the buttons below.
