On this page you will find our address and telephone number, you can also use the contact form below to send an email enquiry to us.
** We want to hear from you!
We'd like to know about your experience of Florence. The feedback you share will help us to keep improving. (Please note this is an external customer survey. We ask any Florence colleagues to use internal channels to provide feedback).
Please select the option which best describes how you feel about each question below.
For all enquiries, please contact one of our advice and support coordinators, either by getting in touch via the email address, or contact number as listed below.
Email – admin@florenceavenue.co.uk
Call us on 020 8646 5921
Florence will ensure that all people who use or benefit from our services have opportunities to express their views regularly about the quality of these services.
We will ensure all complaints are taken seriously and we will learn from each experience as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. To view our Complaint Procedure click here
Florence Avenue not only strives to provide a quality service, but crucially, we are determined to ensure that people using our service are always happy with the services we provide. We ensure that we deliver care and support of an extremely high standard through comprehensive assessment and regular reviews of all the services provided by the home.
Florence Avenue’s Quality Assurance Systems include:
We have followed the guidance provided by CQC (Care Quality Commission) and have asked ourselves the following questions. ‘Is the service…?’
We believe that a complaint is not just a person that is “unhappy” with a service provided by Florence Avenue. For us, a complaint is an opportunity to learn, and a chance for Florence Avenue and its staff to provide a better overall service.
We aim to ensure that all complaints are dealt with quickly and efficiently. We believe that it is imperative for any subsequent learning outcomes to be implemented without delay.
We operate a simple complaints procedure that is outlined in more detail within the Service User Guide.
It is important to recognise that complaints should be heard not just for service users but also, employees, family members, friends and professionals.
All complaints, compliments and concerns will be monitored to ensure Florence Avenue is responding to all of the above appropriately, and within the proper timescale.
Anyone wishing to make a complaint will be advised of their right to an independent investigation.
The CQC (Care Quality Commission) regulates the services we provide; however, they are not able to review individual complaints. Their contact details are as follows.
CQC National Customer Service Centre
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Tel: 03000 616161
The CQC will not respond to complaints about services but will take details of any concerns relating to the quality of a service and respond appropriately and proportionately to the information divulged.
Local Government Ombudsman (LGO)
Since October 2010 the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) can consider complaints from people who arrange or fund their own adult social care. This is in addition to complaints about care arranged and funded by local authorities, which the LGO has dealt with for more than 35 years.
The LGO’s new role includes those who “self-fund” from their own resources or have a personalised budget. It will ensure that everyone has access to the same independent ombudsman service, regardless of how the care service is funded. In most cases they will only consider a complaint once the care provider has been given reasonable opportunity to deal with the situation. It is a free service. Their job is to investigate complaints in a fair and independent way; they are not biased and do not champion complaints; they are independent of politicians, local authorities, government department, advocacy and campaigning groups, the care industry, and the CQC; they are not a regulator and do not inspect care providers.
The link below is to the LGO’s web-page on “Adult social care” and has a short film that provides an overview of their adult social care service; it explains their role and how the service will benefit both residents and care providers. A free copy of the film and manuscript is available to download from the same location. http://www.lgo.org.uk/adult-social-care/
The LGO is fully independent of the CQC. They deal with individual injustices that people have suffered and the CQC will refer all such complaints to them. The CQC deals with complaints about registered services as a whole and does not consider individual matters. They can share information with the CQC but only when deemed appropriate. The CQC will redirect individual complaints to the LGO, and the LGO will inform CQC about outcomes that point to regulatory failures.
Local Authority-funded Residents
Any resident part or wholly funded by their Local Authority can complain directly to the Local Authority.
Relevant Contacts
Social Services Local Office
London Borough of Merton, Merton Civic Centre, London Road, SM4 5DX 020 8274 4901Local Police HQ
Mitcham Police Station, 58 Cricket Green, Mitcham, CR4 4LA
0800555111
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Tel. 0345 015 4033
The Local Government Ombudsman
10th Floor
Millbank Tower
Millbank, London
SW1P 4QP
Advice Line Tel: 0300 061 0614 (for complainants)