An audit partially confirms the accusations against Orpea

Light continues to be shed on the accusations against Orpea.

The group published Wednesday the result of the conclusions of an audit confirming in part the assertions which targeted it, for example on the quantity of food allocated to the residents.

"We confirm the quantities of meat served in the evening mentioned in the book", says this audit, commissioned by Orpea in February and carried out by the firms Grant Thornton and Alvarez & Marsal, in reference to the book

by journalist Victor Castanet.

Factual assertions of the

Gravediggers

confirmed

This book, which caused a vast scandal and plunged Orpea into the crisis as well as part of the retirement home sector, accuses the group of numerous shortcomings akin to mistreatment of the residents of its establishments for people elderly dependents (Ehpad).

The group, forced by this scandal to change direction, asked external firms to carry out independent audits to assess the reality of these allegations.

A first part, centered on the use of public funds, had been made public at the beginning of June, evoking "dysfunctions".

This new and final part concerns the question of human resources and the central question of the care of residents.

It confirms several factual assertions by the

, including the one about the quantities of meat served each evening - 50 grams of steak - and the one about the number of diapers purchased each day per resident - less than three.

However, the report does not go so far as to endorse the existence of organized rationing to the detriment of residents.

On the question of food, the audit does not consider itself able to assess the nutritional intake of meals.

Regarding diapers, he considers it inappropriate to fixate on the average quantity provided per resident, because of the variable situation of each in terms of incontinence.

A chronic shortage of staff

In terms of human resources, the report confirms the existence of a chronic lack of staff and, even if it recognizes that this is the rule in the nursing home sector, judges that Orpea has not responded with a sufficiently incentive wage policy.

This report “makes it possible to rule out the allegation of a system of generalized ill-treatment”, commented Philippe Charrier, the boss of the group, promoted to general manager at the beginning of the year following the scandal.

“On the other hand, it reports shortcomings and insufficiencies in the treatment of adverse events, the system of managerial incentives and the management of human resources”, he admitted.

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