Work to establish a new initiative for Renfrewshire residents who live with an acquired brain injury is ongoing, a report has confirmed.
A total of £300,000 was set aside for a community-led model of support – which will be commissioned for three years – after the closure of the Quarriers service in June. An independent consultation, which will engage with potential clients and their families, is expected to be complete by either the end of this month or beginning of October.
A tender process will follow and recommendations for an award are set to go before the finance, resources and customer services policy board in the future. A report to this Wednesday’s Renfrewshire Council leadership board explained: “Work has therefore now commenced on the process by which the service will be commissioned.
“Further market testing was undertaken over the summer period through the publication of a PIN notice and work has been undertaken to commission an independent organisation to undertake further consultation with potential users of the service and their families.
“This is a vital part of the process as it will ensure that their views guide the specification of any new contract specification which is tendered. It is anticipated that this consultation process will be completed by the end of September 2024/early October 2024, subject to the availability of the organisation identified.
“A tender process will then commence, with recommendations for award being brought before the finance, resources and customer service policy board. Officers had initially targeted the November 2024 policy board cycle, however this is dependent on the timing and completion of the consultation process and wider procurement processes.”
Work has also been carried out to identify existing initiatives across Renfrewshire that help people with a brain injury and their families. The report added: “These supports would be additional to any targeted support which would be offered through any new service model, but in the interim period may provide much needed advocacy, advice and social connections.”
Meanwhile, elected members have been told a petition for judicial review – lodged recently in the Court of Session in relation to the decommissioning of the previous head injury service – has been “withdrawn”.
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