A COMPANY working with people with brain injuries is to create 75 jobs with an expansion to the Tees Valley.

Neuro Partners, which is based in Newcastle, wants to open a centre in Middlesbrough, this year.

The plan forms part of expansion proposals that will also see the company open a centre in Warrington, Cheshire, and double its workforce to about 300.

As well as Newcastle, the firm has offices in Carlisle and Sheffield and employs more than 150 people, from clinical and neuro psychologists to rehabilitation consultants and occupational therapists.

Its focus has also expanded from brain injury, to include behavioural management services, Multiple Sclerosis services, Huntington’s services, and cognitive behavioural therapy services, among others.

It has also been appointed as the specialist support provider for all North-East universities.

Managing director Jonathan Wade set up the company as a result of his experience of dealing with a degenerative spinal condition.

He said: “We’re delighted to be opening a new office in Middlesbrough later this year.

“Tees Valley has long been a target growth area for us and we wanted to develop our services there, mainly because of the excellent work already being done by The James Cook Hospital, in the town.

“We want to build on what they offer and provide an even better, wide-ranging service for people dealing with brain injury in Tees Valley.”

The expansion comes as the company celebrates five years in business after starting out at the charity-run John Buddle Work Village, in Benwell, Newcastle, with only three members of staff.

Mr Wade said: “My colleagues and I established Neuro Partners because we recognised a real need for community support and rehabilitation for people living with neurological conditions.

“My own condition has really helped me to better understand and relate to the needs of our service users.”

The John Buddle Work Village is run by charitable trust Reviving the Heart of the West End, which provides office and workshop units to support young businesses and promotes urban regeneration in areas of social and economic deprivation in the west end of Newcastle.

Mr Wade said: “We’re delighted to be approaching our fifth anniversary and we’re very grateful for the support the work village has given us over the years.

“It provided solid, reliable headquarters for us when we set up Neuro Partners, allowing us to concentrate on establishing and expanding the business. Without the work village, we would have really struggled.”