Up to 25 new jobs are coming to Brora with the announcement that The essentiagroup (correct) is to establish a contact centre in the Sutherland town.

Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE) has approved a £350,000 financial support package for the company to help with set-up costs, furnishings and equipment and training. The essentiagroup is also taking the lease on a CASE-owned advanced office building at the Brora Industrial Estate.

The essentiagroup is one of the UK's leading communications companies providing support advice in areas related to general health; mental health; smoking cessation; and other health and lifestyle matters.  The business employs 250 staff at its Glasgow premises and handles around 4.5 million contacts per year. Clients include the Scottish Executive; Meningitis Trust; British Medical Association and NetDoctor.

In April, The essentiagroup - with help from CASE, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and JobCentre Plus - hosted an open day in Brora to establish if the area had a suitable labour pool and to assess the skills of individuals interested in working for the company. As a result, The essentiagroup has chosen Sutherland as the location of its second operation over a site in Ireland.

Commenting on the move north, Joe Costello, managing director of The essentiagroup said: "We are very pleased to be announcing this new move.  The help we have had from CASE, HIE and JobCentre Plus has been exceptional, and key to our decision to open these new offices.  Recruitment is already underway and we expect to have 15 new staff in place by Christmas, with a further ten staff joining the Brora set-up early in the New Year.

"These posts will be filled by people with the unique expertise and skills which we expect in our company, as we are no ordinary contact centre.  People in The essentiagroup deliver advice and assistance that is borne out of their own knowledge and experience, as we do not operate with scripts.

"The company itself has a reputation for being proactive, professional and efficient.  We work closely with medical education agencies, pharmaceutical companies and Government departments.  We also operate ethically and strive to create an employee-friendly environment.  It all adds up to specialist services from a special company."

Chief executive of CASE, Carroll Buxton said: "We are delighted that The essentiagroup is coming to Sutherland.  This is a significant inward investment project for Brora helping to broaden the Sutherland economy and creating 25 valuable new jobs for the area."

Welcoming the news, Sandy Cumming, HIE chief executive said: "This project marks the beginning of a turnaround in Brora's fortunes.  This particular corner of Sutherland is a priority for the Network and we will continue to encourage developments in the area that prove to be sustainable and will bring lasting benefits to the local economy."