Headway Dumfries & Galloway Association Ltd is based at Headway House in Dumfries and commissioned by NHS Dumfries and Galloway to provide rehabilitation to survivors of brain injury.
Confirming that the only service of its type in Scotland is set to break away from Headway UK, local operations manager Owen Fielding said: “We are consulting widely across the sector in regard to the rebrand, particularly with service users, their families and carers.
“Our intention is that the service delivery model, operational processes and quality of care and support will not change.
“There will, however, be additional service offering in the shape of more flexible service hours and weekend and evening service provision across the region.”
The organisation’s chairman and trustees voted unanimously to secede from affiliation with Headway UK, once due process is concluded.
The move is described as a ‘major strategic change for Headway D&G’, and has been some time in the making.
And it is argued that independent status mitigates risk for the organisation, increases opportunities for sustainability and growth and provides opportunity to drive additional income streams and corporate sponsorship into Headway D&G.
Mr Fielding says the change means Headway D&G will need to rebrand and complete the necessary statutory obligations with charities regulator OSCR and Companies House, and that all of this will take some time.
And he said: “We will work closely with our NHS and Social Work partners to transition smoothly and safely to our new identity and branding, enhancing the services available to our beneficiaries and their families.”
He added: “Thank you for your patience and support as we work through this process.”
The organisation expects to be fully independent by early spring 2017.