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National Health Co-op

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National Health Cooperative Limited
Company typeCooperative
IndustryHealthcare
FoundedDecember 1, 2006; 17 years ago (2006-12-01) in Canberra, Australia
DefunctOctober 2021 (2021-10)
Headquarters
Canberra
,
Australia
Number of locations
7 (2021)
Areas served
Australian Capital Territory, Queanbeyan, Yass
Key people
RevenueIncrease A$14,891,179 (2020)
Decrease A$−64,978 (2020)
Decrease A$−64,978 (2020)
Total assetsIncrease A$19,466,703 (2020)
Total equityDecrease A$536,522 (2020)
Members32,000 (2020)
Websitenhc.coop at the Wayback Machine (archived 2021-07-12)

The National Health Co-op (NHC) was a Canberra, Australia based healthcare provider founded in 2006.[1] Structured as a cooperative, the organisation offered bulk-billed medical services to its members and Australian National University students.[2][3] Founded in recognition of the fact that the Australian Capital Territory has the lowest rate of bulk-billing in the country,[4] as of 2021 the NHC constituted 14% of bulk-billed appointments in the region.[5] On 22 June 2021, NHC went into voluntary administration and began a process of restructuring,[6][7] announcing the closure or transfer of all clinics 22 September 2021.[8] By 2 October 2021, every clinic except the one located on the ANU campus had transferred to new operators, with ANU taking over operations on 25 October.[9][10]

History

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Initially founded in 2006 to fill a gap of bulk-billed healthcare in the West Belconnen area,[11][12] the organization expanded over the next 13 years to a peak of 11 locations around the Australian Capital Territory and Yass.[13] in 2019, the organization had over 44,000 members and provided over 190,000 appointments annually;[Annual Report 1] in 2020, this had fallen to 32,000 members and provided 186,000 appointments annually.[14] NHC was praised by the Barr Ministry,[15][16] and in 2021 they announced a territory government operated walk-in centre co-located in the Coombs branch.[17][18] In 2019, the Waniassa Clinic was closed;[19] In 2020, the Yass and Charnwood Clinics closed, leaving 8 remaining clinics.[20]

In 2017, NHC was awarded a 40-year contract to operate the Australian National University medical clinic as the university sought to privatize its previously in-house services.[21] Under the agreement, students at the university receive free membership and bulk-billed treatment.[22] Despite NHC offering psychology services,[23] the university continues to operate an independent counselling clinic.[24][25]

On 9 September 2021, the ANU Education Activism Network, a student advocacy group, was made aware that the ANU was undertaking plans to bring the on campus clinic under university operation.[26] By late September, ANU was still in negotiation with NHC regarding the fate of the clinic, only taking over operations in October.[27][28][10] As of late 2023, the ANU was looking for a new provider to run their clinic.[29]

Collapse

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On 22 June 2021 NHC went into voluntary administration, after the cessation of the JobKeeper welfare program resulted in an "insurmountable" forecast deficit for the 2021/22 financial year.[30] The firm "Slaven Torline" was appointed as the administrators, and stated that the "health service can continue trading for at least three months, given the cash flow".[31] The collapse sparked a debate over the sustainability of the current bulk-billing scheme and rates,[5][32] as well as a wider discussion on the role of government provided healthcare.[21][33] Roger Nicoll, a founding member of the preceding organisation, also raised questions about the lack of consultation with the members of the cooperative prior to the announcement.[11]

On 10 August 2020, the administrators announced that an agreement regarding the fate of the provider was expected by the end of September.[34] On 22 September 2021, it was announced that 5 clinics, Coombs, Evatt, Higgins, Kippax, and Macquarie would be sold to new, independent operators by 2 October 2021.[35][36] The ANU clinic would be brought back under university operation, once the organisation was able to do so.[8] No announcement was made regarding the sole remaining clinic in Chisholm.

References

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  1. ^ NHC Annual Report 2018-19 - https://www.nhc.coop/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/NHC-Annual-Report-18-19.pdf (Archived)
  1. ^ "ABN Lookup". abr.business.gov.au. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  2. ^ "ANU Students have access to all services under the National Health Co-Op". ANU. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Canberra uni students waiting up to a month for counselling". www.abc.net.au. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  4. ^ White, Daniella (22 January 2020). "It could be about to get even harder to see a bulk billing doctor". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b Woodley, Matt (21 June 2021). "'Scary' co-op failure sets off 'alarm bells' for general practice". newsGP.
  6. ^ Lewis, Kathryn (22 June 2021). "Calls to address 'vicious cycle' in ACT health system". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Low-cost healthcare services take a hit in Canberra as National Health Co-op goes under". www.abc.net.au. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  8. ^ a b Vue, Toby (22 September 2021). "National Co-op saved as new operators to take over". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Important information for NHC patients". National Health Co-op. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  10. ^ a b "ANU to take over operations of Kambri GP clinic | Australian National University". www.anu.edu.au. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  11. ^ a b Jacobs, Genevieve. "Founding chair asks why members weren't consulted over National Health Co-op's fate". The RiotACT. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  12. ^ "About". National Health Co-op. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  13. ^ "About the National Health Co-op". www.serviceone.com.au. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  14. ^ Annual Report 2019-20 (PDF) (Report). National Health Co-op. 2020.
  15. ^ "Struggling to get in to see a GP? These parents have some tricks up their sleeves". www.abc.net.au. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Two new National Health Co-op medical clinics to open in Belconnen by early 2016". The Canberra Times. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  17. ^ "The National Health Co-op welcomes the ACT Government's rollout of new Walk-In Health Centres for Canberrans". National Health Co-op. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  18. ^ News, Mirage (28 January 2021). "New Walk-In Health Centres to offer Canberrans care where they need it | Mirage News". www.miragenews.com. Retrieved 22 June 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ "Wanniassa Clinicians Relocating to Coombs". National Health Co-op. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  20. ^ Giannini, Dominic. "Charnwood National Health Co-op clinic to close". The RiotACT. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Canberra's National Health Co-op collapse and the failure of for-profit healthcare | Red Flag". redflag.org.au. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  22. ^ "Medical Services". ANU. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  23. ^ "Mental Health". National Health Co-op. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Canberra uni students waiting up to a month for counselling". www.abc.net.au. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  25. ^ "ANU Counselling". ANU. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  26. ^ "ANU to take over the health co-op". www.facebook.com. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  27. ^ Vue, Toby (26 September 2021). "'Kick in the teeth': Health jobs, COVID jabs in jeopardy as deadline looms". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  28. ^ Vue, Toby (26 September 2021). "'Kick in the teeth': Health jobs, COVID jabs in jeopardy as deadline looms". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  29. ^ "WoroniAn Underfunded Healthcare System a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: A Look at the ANU Medical Centre and Accessible Healthcare in Canberra". Woroni. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  30. ^ Slaven, Michael (22 June 2020). "Important information for NHC members; Announcement of voluntary administration" (PDF). National Health Co-op.
  31. ^ Jacobs, Genevieve. "National Health Co-operative enters voluntary administration". The RiotACT. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  32. ^ "Lack of bulk-billing is Canberra's shame". The Canberra Times. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  33. ^ "ACT co-op fail becomes an RACGP credibility fail • The Medical Republic". The Medical Republic. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  34. ^ Lewis, Kathryn (10 August 2021). "Negotiations under way to save eight ACT GP clinics facing closure". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  35. ^ "New Ownership". National Health Co-op. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  36. ^ Giannini, Dominic. "Five National Health Co-op clinics to become private general practices". The RiotACT. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
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