Sense is a responsive organisation guided by a set of core values. We welcome complaints and will manage this fairly and effectively.\u00a0 While we always want to get it right the first time, complaints are a valuable part of quality improvement. Sense sets high standards and we want to know if we fall short of achieving them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We encourage feedback from anybody connected to Sense; people who use our services \u2013 accommodation services, Children\u2019s services, buddying, holidays, GOT Groups, day centres, Colleges, shops or fundraising \u2013 and \/ or their families and carers, customers, donors or staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Details for accommodation services, day centres, Colleges, shops (Trading) can be found below. For Fundraising, please view our fundraising complaints process<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sense is committed to maintaining the highest quality and service standards across all our services and activities, which is underpinned by our Sense\u2019s \u2018I\u2019 Statements –<\/p>\n\n\n\n Providing information in an accessible format is important to us. If you require the information in an alternative format, please let us know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We discourage complaints being made anonymously, because this makes it difficult to investigate and respond effectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We are not able to deal with complaints made later than 12 months after the event unless the complaint relates to a Safeguarding concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We will not deal with a complaint which is subject to legal proceedings or is deemed to be malicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please contact the relevant Sense service, Manager or a member of staff as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If having spoken to a member of staff you remain dissatisfied, please contact us<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order to resolve your complaint, we will need some information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We aim to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are dissatisfied with our response you should contact us within 28 days and further investigation will be completed; with a response provided within a further 20 working days and 15 days in Northern Ireland (this is stage 2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please note: For services in Northern Ireland, the management of the complaint by Sense will finish at stage 2 after which the Ombudsmen will need to be contacted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you remain dissatisfied with our response you should contact us within 28 days and an internal review will be completed; with a response provided within a further 20 working days (this is stage 3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your complaint concerns someone receiving a Sense service, and once your complaint has been fully investigated by Sense and if you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) provide a free independent service. Following the conclusion of Sense\u2019s complaints process you can contact the LGO Advice Team for information and advice, or to register your complaint in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The LGSCO will not usually investigate a complaint until the organisation\u2019s procedure has been exhausted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of our operational services in England are registered with and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) in Northern Ireland and Care Inspectorate (Wales) or Ofsted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The CQC and RQIA cannot get involved in individual complaints about providers, but is happy to receive information about our services at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If they receive a significant number of complaints, they can accelerate their next inspection of the specific service. In order to do this, you can contact them in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Care Quality Commission National Correspondence<\/a> The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority<\/a> Care Inspectorate Wales<\/a> Ofsted<\/a> If you have any concerns in relation to our shops please speak to a member of staff or contact Sense \u2013 as detailed above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you what to bring a matter to the attention of Trading Standards \u2013you can find your local Trading Standards Office on the following links:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Making a complaint<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If you are still dissatisfied<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Local Government Ombudsman<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
England<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Wales<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Northern Ireland<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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CQC (England)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle -Upon-Tyne
NE1 4PA
Tel: 0300 061 6161<\/p>\n\n\n\nRQIA (Northern Ireland)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
James\u2019 House
2 \u2013 4 Cromac Avenue
Belfast
BT7 2JA
Email: info@rqia.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCIW (Wales)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Welsh Government office
Sarn Mynach
Llandudno Junction
LL31 9RZ
Tel: 0300 7900 126
Email: ciw@gov.wales<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk<\/a>
Tel: 0300 123 4234 \u2013 about education or adult services
Tel: 0300 123 1231 \u2013 about children\u2019s services or any other aspect<\/p>\n\n\n\nTrading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n