Prolix in the eyes of some deputies, fleeing his responsibilities for others: the former deputy general manager of the Orpea group Jean-Claude Brdenk defended Tuesday evening the management of the multinational nursing homes before the Social Affairs Committee of the National Assembly .

Depicted in the investigative book "Les Fossoyeurs" by journalist Victor Castanet as the "zealous executor" of an "Orpea system", the person in charge of the operation and development of the group of for-profit medicalized retirement homes between 1997 and 2020 responded to what it considers to be "untruths".

Members of the Social Affairs Committee questioned him about the falsification of contracts or the mistreatment of residents mentioned in the book.

Allegations refuted en bloc.

"We were the first to set up a program to prevent mistreatment," said Jean-Claude Brdenk, mentioning the positive results of checks carried out by the health authorities.

“I think I have been honest, fair and equitable.

»

Heard earlier in the day by the same commission, Élodie Marchat, deputy director general of the solidarity center of the Hauts-de-Seine departmental council, indicated that the accounting data available to her community did not make it possible to identify an anomaly.

At the “Bords de Seine” nursing home in Neuilly-sur-Seine, particularly targeted by Victor Castanet's accusations, the amount of expenses was “in line with the occupancy rate”, she argued.

Jean-Claude Brdenk put into perspective the number of forced departures of facility managers who disagree with Orpea's cost reduction policy.

“I think I have been honest, fair and equitable.

I have put in place all the necessary means” for the proper functioning of the establishments, he said, while acknowledging lip service that he may have been “clumsy”.

The man who left the management of Orpea in December 2020 for the medical group Bastide justified his severance pay of 2.5 million euros gross by presenting them as complying with the practices in force in listed companies.

Parliamentarians not convinced

"I had the impression on many occasions that you were drowning the fish", struck him the number 2 of LFI, Adrien Quatennens.

"Many points remained unresolved", regretted for her part the president of the commission, Fadila Khattabi (LREM), after three hours of hearing.

In a column published by Le Monde, some 70 deputies, mainly from the left, the numbers one of the CFDT Laurent Berger, of the CGT Philippe Martinez and of FO Yves Veyrier, as well as representatives of the collectives of families and staff, have again and “solemnly” requested the creation of a commission of inquiry in the National Assembly.

“Only a parliamentary commission of inquiry would allow the leaders of the Orpea group to be heard immediately and under oath (…) and to be provided with any document it deems useful.

Such guarantees would prohibit vague and imprecise answers”, underline the signatories, including the presidential candidates Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI) and Fabien Roussel (PCF).

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  • Old age

  • National Assembly

  • Orpea case

  • Society

  • nursing home

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