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Citizens Advice

The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers.

Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to provide these vital services for local communities.

Citizens Advice service strategy 2008 - 2011 cover


Prescribing advice

Improving health through CAB advice services

Making advice available in doctors’ surgeries, health centres, hospitals, psychiatric units and mental health clinics significantly improves people’s health and well-being. Good advice to tackle non-clinical problems, like low income and debt, relieves the stress and anxiety that often underscore a patient’s clinical symptoms.

To read more examples of our advice work in health settings see our publication (in English or Welsh):

Prescribing advice

Outreach advice sessions in GP surgeries

At the heart of CAB advice in health and social care settings is the grassroots work that Citizens Advice Bureaux do with local GPs and health centres.

East Dorset CAB operates regular outreach sessions in three local GP surgeries at Verwood, Sixpenny Handley and Cranborne. With some clients living up to 20 kilometres away from their nearest CAB and served by only a very poor rural bus service, many people would simply be unable to access the advice need to tackle the problems their doctors know are affecting their health, if the CAB did not run outreach services at local surgeries.

Bill Rivers
"The extra money has made a hell of a difference to us,” says Bill.

When his old injury started to bother retired forester Bill Rivers again, he saw his doctor, who referred him to CAB adviser Sue Lynch, who runs an advice session at his doctor’s surgery once a fortnight.

Sue helped Bill apply for Attendance Allowance, a claim which was refused twice before finally being awarded at £39.35 a week.

“People see us about a range of problems, but we do get a lot of benefit enquiries. The doctors refer patients to us so we can check that they are getting all the benefits they may be entitled to,” says Sue. “Doctors can’t be expected to be welfare benefits experts - that’s where we come in. They are very appreciative of the service and it’s success is very much dependent on their support.”


Delivering advice in health settings

Citizens Advice needs the support of politicians to make its vision of using integrated advice services to tackle health inequalities a reality.

Over a third of Birmingham CAB’s work is based in health settings. The service runs 14 ‘health units’, bringing in nearly £2 million in increased income for clients in 2004. Four local PCTs fund around 70 per cent of the CAB health units’ work, to deliver a number of advice sessions in 46 GP surgeries.

The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund also pays for CAB advice services targeted at the city’s hospitals. Adviser Tina Holden works with Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham, offering advice to expecting teenage parents and their families attending the 4U Parent Craft Group.

Seventeen-year-old Gemma Nicholls was 32 weeks pregnant when she was referred to see CAB adviser Tina.

“I went to see Tina to find out if we were entitled to any benefits, ”says Gemma, whose partner works full-time as a tool fitter. “We were not due much but do get child tax and working tax credit, plus child benefit. Tina was really helpful. “

Gemma and son Jamie
Gemma and her young son Jamie.


Being part of a NHS Walk-In Centre

Finding ways of getting advice to people when and where they need it means making sure it is in the right place at the right time.

Walsall CAB is part of the Walsall NHS Walk-in centre, situated right in the centre of town, Open seven days a week, it was used by over 43,000 people last year. It works like a one-stop shop and CAB advisers sit alongside dental and nursing services, contraceptive advice, a needle exchange facility and services targeted at Asian women.

“We work together to identify cross-referrals and provide truly holistic service,” says advice services manager, Claire Foulkes. “People like the fact that they can deal with every angle of their problem in one place."
Ganzanfer Ali, CAB adviser at Walsall NHS Walk-in centre.