Care home operator in French scandal
THE largest private nursing home operator in Ireland is a multinational company with more than 90,000 beds across the globe that has been at the centre of a major investigation into allegations of malpractice in France. Orpea Group entered the Irish market in 2020 after it bought the TLC Nursing Home Group. But following several other acquisitions – including the 161-bed Belmont House Nursing Home in Dublin two years ago – it is now the country’s biggest operator with more than 1,800 beds across 21 care facilities, according to a recent Government-ordered report compiled by KPMG.
In November, French police carried out raids on dozens of Orpea-run care homes as part of a judicial investigation following allegations of malpractice and possible mistreatment of residents. At the time, Reuters reported that the French prosecutor’s office had registered around 50 complaints relating to ‘institutional mistreatment’ of elderly residents. An Orpea source confirmed the raids and said the company was cooperating with investigators.
The raids followed publication of a book by journalist Victor Castanet, called Les Fossoyeurs, or The Gravediggers, which sent shock waves and much soulsearching across France over how the elderly are treated in nursing homes.
Last June, Orpea confirmed an independent audit had found evidence of financial wrongdoing, including inflated labour expenses and suspiciously large payments to third parties, although it did not back up the accusations made in the book. It has also rejected allegations of widespread maltreatment.
‘We cooperate fully with judicial authorities on all these subjects,’ CEO Laurent Guillot told analysts on a conference call.
In response to parliamentary queries on the reports about Orpea and operations, Minister for Older People Mary Butler said the group’s Irish representatives had ‘provided assurances the issues under investigation in France have no bearing on operations in Ireland’.
Ms Butler told Sinn Féin TD Réada Cronin: ‘HIQA has further advised that Orpea is not the registered provider of any nursing home in Ireland and as such, is not subject to regulation by the Chief Inspector of Social Services. That said, Orpea is the parent company of a significant number of companies registered to operate nursing homes in Ireland, and these companies are therefore subject to the regulatory oversight of the Chief Inspector.
‘Orpea Ireland has engaged with the Chief Inspector and provided assurances that the issues under investigation in France have no bearing on operations in Ireland.’ A spokesperson for the Health Information and Quality Authority said: ‘Orpea is not the registered provider of any nursing home in Ireland and as such is not subject to regulation by the Chief Inspector of Social Services.’
Orpea has been contacted for comment.