Florence is a pioneering online platform that takes a new and different approach to providing temporary staffing to care homes in health and social care. The platform works by directly connecting healthcare managers with pre-vetted registered nurses (RGNs and RMNs) by cutting out recruitment agencies. Using more traditional recruitment agencies to fill temporary positions can be very costly, meaning money is taken out the system and doesn’t reach those who deserve it.
The new online platform provides a mutually beneficial service that delivers cost and time saving for managers and increased flexibility and pay for staff. Nurses create their own profile on Florence and simply filter and choose the shifts they want to work, whilst Managers offer any temporary shifts they have available. A genius algorithm ensures nurses who have worked with care homes previously appear at the top of the list when a new shift is posted, allowing managers to make a decision based on previous engagements and ensuring high quality staff and care.
“You can see all the available shifts, the money you’ll earn and the location you have to go to…it’s so easy to use” – Florentina, registered nurse.
Similar to technologies such as Uber, the platform allows nurses and employers to provide ratings for both parties. This means healthcare managers can source the best staff for the job and RGNs choose the most ideal working environment for them. Florence does not charge the Care Home if they wish to employ the nurse full time, also aiding the staffing crisis
“Using Florence for filling our temporary nursing shifts has revolutionised how we work and reduced our costs significantly” – Steve Winter, Operations Director, Care Home
Managing Director and Co-Founder of Florence, Charles Armitage spent over three years working as a young locum doctor alongside nurses in Emergency Medicines and Surgery. As a millennial, Charles was already familiar with the benefits of disruptive technologies such as AirBnB, Deliveroo and Uber have provided. Combined with his passion for providing care, this sparked him to create Florence.
“As a doctor working in South London I found it frustrating I had no choice over the work I could pick being given shifts by an agency who felt like they lacked a sense of care. I set up Florence with the aim to empower nurses and homes and give control back to those doing the actual caring” said Charles.
Since its creation, more than 6000 registered nurses and over 100 care homes within the London and the South East area have already signed up to Florence. With a recent successful launch in the North West, Florence is quickly starting to look like a modern day Florence Nightingale for the care sector.
