Company type | Cooperative |
---|---|
Industry | Healthcare |
Founded | December 1, 2006Canberra, Australia | in
Defunct | October 2021 |
Headquarters | Canberra , Australia |
Number of locations | 7 (2021) |
Areas served | Australian Capital Territory, Queanbeyan, Yass |
Key people |
|
Revenue | A$14,891,179 (2020) |
A$−64,978 (2020) | |
A$−64,978 (2020) | |
Total assets | A$19,466,703 (2020) |
Total equity | A$536,522 (2020) |
Members | 32,000 (2020) |
Website | nhc.coop at the Wayback Machine (archived 2021-07-12) |
The National Health Co-op (NHC) is a Canberra, Australia based healthcare provider founded in 2006. [1] Structured as a cooperative, the organisation offers 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 expected to be transitioned in the "near future". [9]
Initially founded in 2006 to fill a gap of bulk-billed healthcare in the West Belconnen area, [10] [11] the organization expanded over the next 13 years to a peak of 11 locations around the Australian Capital Territory and Yass. [12] 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. [13] NHC was praised by the Barr Ministry, [14] [15] and in 2021 they announced a territory government operated walk-in centre co-located in the Coombs branch. [16] [17] In 2019, the Waniassa Clinic was closed; [18] In 2020, the Yass and Charnwood Clinics closed, leaving 8 remaining clinics. [19]
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. [20] Under the agreement, students at the university receive free membership and bulk-billed treatment. [21] Despite NHC offering psychology services, [22] the university continues to operate an independent counselling clinic. [23] [24]
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. [25] By late September, ANU was still in negotiation with NHC regarding the fate of the clinic. [26] [27]
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. [28] 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". [29] The collapse sparked a debate over the sustainability of the current bulk-billing scheme and rates, [5] [30] as well as a wider discussion on the role of government provided healthcare. [20] [31] 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. [10]
On 10 August 2020, the administrators announced that an agreement regarding the fate of the provider was expected by the end of September. [32] 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. [33] [34] 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.
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: |last=
has generic name (
help)
Company type | Cooperative |
---|---|
Industry | Healthcare |
Founded | December 1, 2006Canberra, Australia | in
Defunct | October 2021 |
Headquarters | Canberra , Australia |
Number of locations | 7 (2021) |
Areas served | Australian Capital Territory, Queanbeyan, Yass |
Key people |
|
Revenue | A$14,891,179 (2020) |
A$−64,978 (2020) | |
A$−64,978 (2020) | |
Total assets | A$19,466,703 (2020) |
Total equity | A$536,522 (2020) |
Members | 32,000 (2020) |
Website | nhc.coop at the Wayback Machine (archived 2021-07-12) |
The National Health Co-op (NHC) is a Canberra, Australia based healthcare provider founded in 2006. [1] Structured as a cooperative, the organisation offers 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 expected to be transitioned in the "near future". [9]
Initially founded in 2006 to fill a gap of bulk-billed healthcare in the West Belconnen area, [10] [11] the organization expanded over the next 13 years to a peak of 11 locations around the Australian Capital Territory and Yass. [12] 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. [13] NHC was praised by the Barr Ministry, [14] [15] and in 2021 they announced a territory government operated walk-in centre co-located in the Coombs branch. [16] [17] In 2019, the Waniassa Clinic was closed; [18] In 2020, the Yass and Charnwood Clinics closed, leaving 8 remaining clinics. [19]
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. [20] Under the agreement, students at the university receive free membership and bulk-billed treatment. [21] Despite NHC offering psychology services, [22] the university continues to operate an independent counselling clinic. [23] [24]
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. [25] By late September, ANU was still in negotiation with NHC regarding the fate of the clinic. [26] [27]
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. [28] 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". [29] The collapse sparked a debate over the sustainability of the current bulk-billing scheme and rates, [5] [30] as well as a wider discussion on the role of government provided healthcare. [20] [31] 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. [10]
On 10 August 2020, the administrators announced that an agreement regarding the fate of the provider was expected by the end of September. [32] 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. [33] [34] 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.
{{
cite web}}
: |last=
has generic name (
help)