Health · Healthcare & Policy · 14 hrs ago
Eight private home-care providers barred from operating in western Switzerland
Authorities barred eight private home-care providers in western Switzerland: five in Valais, two in Neuchâtel and one in Vaud.
The organizations provide care that helps older people remain at home, and their services can be paid for by compulsory health insurance.
In Valais, inspectors found that two patients faced concrete danger and six may have been at risk.
Problems included missed visits, mistakes preparing medicines and staff failing to alert doctors about symptoms.
Some providers relied on assistants without enough training, including services with very few or no nurses.
Inspectors also found weak care records and cases of suspected improper insurance billing, such as charging for housework or shopping as medical care.
The findings raise concerns about safety and oversight in a growing private care sector, though authorities in Neuchâtel said some licence withdrawals were not linked to patient endangerment.
Eight private home-care organisations have been barred from operating in western Switzerland, according to an investigation by RTS and Le Nouvelliste.
Five organisations were barred in Valais, two in Neuchâtel and one in Vaud.
Valais inspections found cases in which patients were put at confirmed or potential risk, including medication errors and missed visits.
The investigation also reported inadequate staff training, organisational failures and suspected improper billing to compulsory health insurance.
The number of private home-care organisations in Valais rose from four in 2016 to 19 in 2024.
- Who
- Eight private home-care organisations in western Switzerland.
- What
- They were barred from operating or had their authorisation withdrawn. In Valais, inspectors reported patient-safety concerns and other failures.
- When
- In recent years; the sources do not give the dates of the individual bans.
- Where
- Valais, Neuchâtel and Vaud, in western Switzerland.
- Why
- Reported problems included patient-safety risks, insufficient staff training, organisational failures and suspected improper billing. The sources say some Neuchâtel withdrawals were not linked to patient endangerment.
Private home-care organisations
Valais authorities
Patient safety
Private home-care organisations
Some organisations relied on assistants who lacked sufficient training, and inspections found missed visits and medication errors.
Valais authorities
Inspections documented concrete danger to two patients and possible short-term danger to six others.
Billing
Private home-care organisations
A representative of private providers said serious cases were an “extreme minority” that harmed the profession’s image.
Valais authorities
Authorities’ documents described charges for household tasks and shopping as insured care, and suspected billing for visits “just to discuss.
Valais had four private home-care organisations.
The number of private home-care organisations in Valais had risen to 19.
Authorities withdrew operating authorisations from five organisations in Valais, two in Neuchâtel and one in Vaud.
- Total barred
- 8 organisations
- Valais
- 5 organisations
- Neuchâtel
- 2 organisations
- Vaud
- 1 organisation
- Patient risks in Valais
- 2 patients faced concrete danger; 6 faced possible short-term danger
- Valais private organisations
- 4 in 2016; 19 in 2024
3 sources
What people are saying
une extrême minorité de cas qui malheureusement entachent l’image de toute une profession