Save free community health services in Fitzroy and Collingwood
cohealth’s decision to axe its Collingwood clinic and reduce GP and counselling services in Fitzroy will affect the communities that need them most.
UPDATE - After months of asking, the report from the independent review of cohealth general practice and related services has been released. This is a win for community and a win for transparency.
UPDATE – On 8 May 2026, the Federal Government announced it was providing $1.5 million in funding to keep cohealth services operational for up to 12 months, while cohealth undertakes improvements to its operations.
This investment follows the independent review into cohealth’s services. 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.
The $1.5 million funding is time-limited and conditional for up to 12 months while cohealth is supported by North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network to make the necessary changes in response to the independent review.
Read the Federal Government’s full statement here: Securing the future of cohealth | Health, Disability and Ageing Ministers | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
This is a win for strong community advocacy.
But it is temporary.
And it doesn’t address the future of the Collingwood site. Or the return of pharmacy and counselling services.
We must continue the pressure until a financially sustainable resolution is found for these services to remain open permanently.
At the Yarra City Council meeting on 12 May 2026, it was resolved:
That Council:
- Welcomes the announcement by the Federal Government last Friday 8 May 2026 which provides a one-year retention of bulk-billing GPs at the three cohealth sites. This is an important win for the community in their fight against the closure by cohealth management last year.
- Continues to advocate for the:
- retention of the Collingwood site for community health purposes and a rebuild of the site at its current location; and
- return of pharmacy and counselling services at the community health centres in Collingwood, Fitzroy and Kensington, regardless of the service provider and permanent retention of the bulk-billing GPs.
- Proceeds with the following actions:
- seek emergency meetings with the relevant Federal and State Government ministers to lobby for action;
- install campaign banners at Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond Town Halls and produce corflutes for residents and businesses to display in support of the community advocacy campaign; and
- request the City of Yarra Open Campaign Committee – Community Health Services to provide advice on possible further advocacy actions for Council’s consideration.
Where to from here
Yarra City Council will continue to directly lobby Ministers, key elected representatives and government officials for all community health services and supports to continue permanently in Collingwood and Fitzroy.
The City of Yarra Open Campaign Committee — Community Health Services will meet and provide advice to Council on further advocacy actions.
Posters and Corflutes are available for community use. Pick up at Collingwood Town Hall, Richmond Town Hall, or one of Council’s libraries. A digital version of the poster is available to download here. [ PDF, 7.26 MB]
Contact your local State and Federal Members of Parliament. Make sure candidates running in the state election (November 2026) know that this issue is important to you.
Watch out for more events, more community action and more community achievements!
How we got here
In November 2025, cohealth announced that it would close its Collingwood clinic entirely and stop offering free GP, pharmacy, and general counselling services at its Fitzroy and Kensington clinics.
At a time when rents are skyrocketing, cost-of-living pressures are crushing households, and public hospitals are buckling under demand, cutting bulk-billing for primary care is not just bad policy - it’s dangerous.
Within days the community mobilised, rallied, and began a campaign to keep these vital services open.
Yarra City Council resolved to support the community campaign, established an advisory committee Community Health Services Advisory Committee | Yarra City Council and funded a temporary resource to support it.
The purpose of the Open Campaign Committee – Community Health Services (the Committee) is to support the local community with their advocacy to reverse, review and revive community health centres affected by the closure of cohealth’s Collingwood, Fitzroy and Kensington clinics.
cohealth’s clinics see an estimated 46,000 patients every year across their three sites, many of whom would otherwise end up in hospital emergency departments. Many walk to cohealth because it’s the only clinic that treats them with dignity – no judgement, no bills, just care.
These patients will have nowhere else to turn. They are single parents on low incomes, newly arrived refugees rebuilding their lives, people facing homelessness or family violence, and residents managing chronic illness, addiction and mental health challenges. Nearly 70% of these patients hold concession cards.
Without accessible, local GPs, people will delay care until their conditions become emergencies.
In December 2025 the Federal Government announced a temporary reprieve:
- an injection of $1.5m to enable bulk billing GP services to continue until mid-2026
- an independent review. Independent review of cohealth general practice and related services | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Yarra City Council lodged a submission to the Review and the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer were interviewed by the Review Panel.
Neither the Panel’s Report or recommendations have been released publicly.