Orpea scandal: the ARS imposes changes on the Ehpad at the center of the book "Les Fossoyeurs"

Since the publication of the book "Les Fossoyeurs" by Victor Castanet in January on the treatment of the elderly in nursing homes, the Île-de-France Regional Health Agency has carried out 90 inspections in accommodation establishments for people elderly dependents from the Ile-de-France region.

The Ehpad of the Orpea group on the "Bords de Seine" in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine), intended for elderly people suffering in particular from Alzheimer's, particularly targeted in the book as three others will have to take emergency measures.

Management has been ordered to reorganize its day and night shifts within three months.

In addition, the ARS asks him to "secure the organization of the drug circuit" within a month, to "carry out an assessment of the risks of malnutrition" and to "put in place enriched meals" in within one month, or even to "update the conventions of liberal exercise of masseurs-physiotherapists" and "to ensure traceability in the files of residents", this time "without delay".

These directives are based on the observation of malfunctions during checks.

The report notes the understaffing "likely to affect the quality and safety of care for residents" with in particular an increased use of temporary workers.

In addition, he also points out that the rights of users “are not all respected” and that “some of the services offered do not exist, such as balneotherapy.

Another point raised: “While the manager has chosen an internal catering service”, there is neither “enriched meal” nor “appetizing”, continues the Agency which has met “malnourished patients.

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Corrective measures implemented

Faced with this situation, the Orpea group assured that it would implement these changes “as soon as possible” and presented its “apologies to the residents and families”.

“The ARS has issued recommendations and prescriptions and a single injunction, which we will process as soon as possible”, affirms the Orpea group while underlining the “unprecedented” context of the health crisis linked to Covid-19.

“The first corrective measures are already in place” to better organize the teams, added Orpea, with in particular the support “of a coordinating nurse since March 18”, and the training of two “additional well-treatment referents”.

Regarding undernutrition, Orpea assured that it had decreased in the residence between 2019 and 2021 and that training on the subject of the teams was planned from April.

Finally, for the drug circuit, training has "already been carried out", "secure messaging of prescriptions between the site and the pharmacy will be put in place" and a "new agreement" with "a new partner pharmacy" will enter " effective April 7,” added Orpea.

Complaints in progress

The group also said it was in favor of the next publication of another report, that of the IGS and the Igas, the conclusions of which reveal "serious dysfunctions within the group of Ehpad, according to the words of the government.

The Ehpad des Bords de Seine is also at the heart of a preliminary investigation opened in Nanterre, in particular for manslaughter, following a complaint filed in 2020. In this complaint, the children of a resident who died at the age of 86 denounce, among other things, “opaque management of Covid-19” and “failures”.

Admitted to the establishment in March 2020, the resident had been diagnosed with Covid-19 at the beginning of April 2020. Four days after being tested negative, she had suffered a stroke.

"At no time was her daughter kept informed of any deterioration in her mother's state of health", denounces the complaint which also raises that "her sanitary protection" has not been changed.

Three days after her accident, the resident was found "unconscious in her bed, not seen since last night" according to a note from the fire department.