"The review found the services cohealth delivers to communities across Melbourne with complex health and social needs are highly valued. It also identified the need for changes to cohealth’s governance, management and service delivery models to support long-term sustainability of the general practices."
From Securing the future of cohealth (Federal Health Minister media release) 8 May 2026. Read more.

While the report of the Review is yet to be released, its recommendations have resulted in the Federal Government:
˖ providing $1.5 million funding for up to 12 months to ensure the Collingwood, Fitzroy and Kensington clinics stay open,
˖ ordering the strengthening of cohealth senior management and board governance, and
˖ expecting a new integrated and sustainable general practice model of care be introduced.

The North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network will assist cohealth to implement these changes.

Read what cohealth says about the Review’s recommendations the Federal Health Minister’s announcement here.

Earlier Updates

The window for submissions is now closed
The Review will be completed by the end of February 2026. In anticipation of its findings being published soon after (although a date is yet to be announced), please contact state and federal ministers - and your local member of parliament. Tell them all how important it is for the Collingwood, Fitzroy and Kensington Commmunity Health Centres to remain open. Go here and here to find out how to do this.

Write a submission now!

Time is running short to tell the Independent Review panel what you think about community health and the services you need in Kensington, Fitzroy and Collingwood.

You can do this by making a submission; it’s easy and you can do it online here
using an Australian Government Department of Health Disability and Ageing form.

Handy hints
Remember submissions close Tuesday 27 January 2026 and in your submission you might like to mention:
˖ how your local community health service at Collingwood, Fitzroy or Kensington have helped you,
˖ about your experiences at cohealth,
˖ what you would miss if our community health services close.

Here is the link to the online submissions form.

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The Independent Review: background

The Federal Government has asked an Independent Review panel to make recommendations “to support sustained and continued access of general practice services to people in Fitzroy, Collingwood, Kensington and neighbouring communities.”

These are the people who are doing the review:

• Professor Stephen Duckett, health economist and primary care expert

• Professor John Furler, general practice clinician and researcher

• Jane Seeber, community health leader and chartered accountant

You can read about the review and the terms of reference on the Department of Health and Ageing website.

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