Citizens Advice Ashfield is expanding its outreach and mobile service — and including more GP practices and medical centres.

Based in the Ashfield Health and Wellbeing Centre, Kirkby, since 2015, the Citizens Advice service has had a long association with the NHS in Ashfield.

Kathryn Stacey, chief executive at Citizens Advice Ashfield, said: “We recently secured funding from the National Lottery Community Fund that has allowed us to expand our service to different parts of the community.

“We see many people who have long-term health problems and are regularly visiting their doctor, so it’s natural for us to be providing a service in those locations where patients already visit.

“We hope to expand this during the next few months and work with more practices over the course of the project.”

The advice service has been providing trained outreach advisers and a full advice service in participating practices. The practices have, in some cases, been able to book appointments around the advice sessions for patients’ convenience.

Patients can receive a wide range of advice on benefits, employment, consumer issues, housing and more, and be referred to specialist advice in debt and money management.

So far a regular service had been provided at Brierley Medical Practice, Huthwaite; Kings Medical Centre, Sutton; Whyburn Medical Practice, Hucknall; and Jacksdale Medical Centre.

Liz Griffin, practice manager at Brierley Medical Centre, added: “There’s been a great response to Citizens Advice being here. Many patients are asking when the next visit is so they can receive some advice. It’s a positive add-on service for our patients.”