Will the Orpea scandal have consequences in Luxembourg?
“For now, these are charges. We don’t know if the facts are proven, so we are studying Orpea’s application for approval in Merl like any other file and this does not interfere with our work. But if the accusations turn out to be true, then it is possible that there will be consequences in the Grand Duchy. But the final decision rests with the Minister for the Family,” explains Claude Sibenaler, head of the Elderly Division within the Ministry for the Family, and in charge of studying the Orpea case.
Chance of the calendar, the revelations made about Orpea, world leader in nursing homes, in the book “Les Fossoyeurs” by journalist Victor Castanet, released this Wednesday, January 26, coincide within a few days with the request for approval made by this French group for open his first nursing home in Merl. “Our services received it on January 18”, confirms the Minister of Family, Integration and the Greater Region Corinne Cahen (DP), requested by Paperjam, who confides that she has “not yet seen the file” .
It is she who makes the final decision and who signs the authorization – or not – of accreditation.
On its website, Orpea announces, with many details, the opening for next March of a rest and care home (CIPA) as well as a “Recital” assisted living facility in Luxembourg-Merl. Staff recruitment is underway. A second residency has already been announced at Strassen, with opening sometime in 2023.
Is it logical to announce this opening before having obtained the approval of the ministry, which will perhaps never be issued? “It is possible to make a first request for approval beforehand, but it is not compulsory. Their file must comply with
the law of September 8, 1998
regulating relations between the State and organizations working in the social, family and therapeutic fields. And certain details concerning the manager or the staff can only be verified at the last moment, as is the case for Merl, ”analyzes the minister.
A new bill tabled two years ago
Among the main points to be observed by Orpea, we can cite in particular the fact that applicants must “have buildings, premises or any other infrastructure corresponding both to the minimum standards of health and safety and to the needs of users and have a sufficient number of qualified staff to provide care or support for users”.
“In this law, there is no mention of the human component or the languages spoken by management or employees”, regrets Corinne Cahen. “That is why
bill n°7524
on the quality of services for the elderly was tabled almost two years ago. We are awaiting the opinion of the Council of State so that the text can then be returned to committee.
“In the text, we insisted on the social aspect of care homes, but also on the skills of employees and management,” adds Corinne Cahen. It can indeed be read that “the manager must have management skills and skills in gerontology, (…) understand and be able to express themselves in at least two of the administrative languages in Luxembourg, including Luxembourgish”. Ditto for the supervisory staff, who must “understand and be able to express themselves in at least two of the administrative languages in Luxembourg, including Luxembourgish”. The level of competence to be achieved, both for oral comprehension and for oral expression in the Luxembourgish language, is level B1 of the European framework of reference for languages.”
Still, the approval requested by Orpea must for the moment simply comply with the law of September 8, 1998. “I am neither a judge nor a lawyer, but it is in the interest of this group to comply with the law”, warns Corinne Cahen. “For the moment, I let my services study the file, and I trust them completely.”
No “limit” period for approving the establishment
The Ministry does not have a “limit” time limit to make its decision on accreditation. “As long as we have points to check, we will continue our work”, specifies Claude Sibenaler. “We will work jointly with the Ministry’s Socio-Family Infrastructure division and there will be an on-site visit scheduled in the coming weeks. But even if Orpea announces an opening in March in Merl, if it has not obtained approval by then, the establishment will not be able to open.
The director general of Orpea, Jean-Christophe Romersi, was, for his part, summoned by the French minister delegate in charge of the autonomy of the elderly, Brigitte Bourguignon. He will have to “respond to serious accusations” concerning the practices of the group in its Ehpad, this Tuesday 1uh February. On Monday, the group had suspended its listing on Euronext, after its title lost more than 16% following the announcement of the publication of Victor Castanet’s book.