NHC opens new Clinic at the Australian National University

08 April 2019

Today, Minister for Health and Wellbeing Ms Meegan Fitzharris MLA officially opened the National Health Co-op’s (NHC) newest Clinic within the newly established Kambri precinct at the Australian National University (ANU).

The new Clinic at the ANU significantly expands services for students and NHC Members alike. The Clinic has capacity to accommodate over 40 clinicians, including general practitioners, nurses and nurse practitioners, dietitians, counsellors, psychologists, physiotherapists, and pathology services.

The ANU is providing all its students with NHC membership, enabling them and their dependents to access the NHC’s existing network of clinics. The new clinic enables the NHC to meet the needs of the ANU student population, ANU staff, local residents and local workers. All NHC services will be bulk billed for members to ensure affordable healthcare is provided.

Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Meegan Fitzharris said the NHC will make a considerable difference to the student, academic and local population of the ANU.

“Canberra has some of the lowest bulk-billing rates in the country which impacts on peoples’ access to affordable care,” the Minister said.

“It’s important that uni students, many of whom live on campus away from home elsewhere in Australia or overseas, have access to a reliable and affordable general practice clinic that can meet their health care needs locally.

“With the National Health Co-op at the ANU, students now have another option for ailments that are more suited to primary health care rather than an emergency department,” Minister Fitzharris said.

The NHC has experienced rapid growth in memberships since its establishment in 2010 and currently provides primary health care services to over 15 per cent of the ACT’s population. In 2019 the NHC will deliver over 220,000 health services to its members. The establishment of the ANU clinic will allow even more people to benefit from the NHC’s model of affordable healthcare.

NHC’s Chair, Ms Linda Addison said the strong growth of the National Health Co-op in Canberra is welcomed as a confirmation of the community’s support for the model. “The Board and NHC’s Executive are committed to working with like-minded organisations, such as the ANU, to continue the National Health Co-op’s expansion with the aim of making a substantive positive impact on the health of Australians.”