Mango Care NDIS Services

Tag: Canberra news

  • Canberra Private Hospital in Deakin Set to Close in September

    Canberra Private Hospital in Deakin Set to Close in September

    Canberra’s private health sector is facing another setback, with news that Canberra Private Hospital in Deakin will be closing its doors later this year. The announcement adds to a growing list of challenges facing private healthcare providers across the country, and comes as another reminder of just how financially fragile the sector has become.

    What happened

    The hospital, based at the Equinox Business Park in Deakin, will shut down after its operator, Nexus Hospitals, made the difficult call that the facility could no longer be run viably. While a precise closure date hasn’t been locked in just yet, Nexus has indicated the hospital is expected to close its doors in September. Canberra Private Hospital first opened back in 2011, meaning it will have served the Canberra community for well over a decade by the time it shuts.

    Why it’s closing

    Nexus Hospitals chief executive Greg Hall confirmed the closure, explaining that the facility was simply no longer financially sustainable to keep running. He noted that this isn’t a problem unique to Canberra Private Hospital, pointing out that many private hospitals around Australia are currently grappling with similar financial pressures. According to Hall, the company’s main priority now is to maintain the same high standard of patient care the hospital has been known for over the years, while doing everything possible to minimise disruption for patients as the closure date draws closer. Further details are expected to be shared with patients and the wider community as more information becomes available in the lead-up to the closure.

    Part of a wider trend

    Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident. It follows closely on the heels of the widely reported collapse of Healthscope, which saw multinational operator Ramsay Health Care step in late last year to purchase the National Capital Private Hospital in Garran for a substantial $251 million. Taken together, these two developments paint a clear picture of the mounting financial strain facing Canberra’s private hospital sector, driven by a combination of rising operating costs, staffing pressures, and shifting patterns in how and where people choose to access healthcare.

    What this means for the community

    For everyday Canberrans, these closures carry real consequences. As more private facilities either shut down or change ownership, many residents may find themselves relying more heavily on public health services or community-based support to fill the gap left behind. This shift is particularly relevant for older Australians and NDIS participants, who often depend on continuity of care, familiar providers, and clear, timely communication when navigating changes to their healthcare arrangements. In times like these, having access to reliable, locally based support becomes even more important, helping people feel less overwhelmed by the wider upheaval taking place across the health system.

    Source: The Canberra Times

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    Canberra’s City Health Centre Closure Extended Until August: What You Need to Know

  • NDIS Reform Bill and Budget Talks: What Canberra Participants Need to Know

    NDIS Reform Bill and Budget Talks: What Canberra Participants Need to Know

    If you or someone you support relies on the NDIS, you may have seen headlines this year about reform. Change can feel unsettling, especially when it touches something as personal as your care and support. Here is a plain-language update on where things stand, based on recent reporting from the Canberra Times.

    What is happening in parliament

    The federal government has been working to pass NDIS reform laws before parliament’s winter break. According to the Canberra Times, Labor was hoping to get the changes through before July 2, when parliament adjourned for its winter recess (Canberra Times, June 22 2026).

    Getting the laws passed has not been simple. The government needs support from the Greens, who have called for a longer inquiry into the reforms before agreeing to back separate tax changes tied to the same parliamentary sitting (Canberra Times, June 22 2026).

    Why this matters for participants

    Earlier in June, a two-day parliamentary inquiry looked closely at proposed measures that could see around 160,000 people removed from the NDIS as part of efforts to manage the cost of the scheme (Canberra Times, June 22 2026). For families already navigating plans and reviews, this kind of number understandably raises questions about what happens next and who it might affect.

    These conversations are part of a broader reform package. The government introduced the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill to parliament on 14 May 2026, setting out a longer-term plan to keep the scheme sustainable while protecting support for people with permanent and significant disability.

    One practical change already under way is mandatory registration. From 1 July 2026, Supported Independent Living providers and platform providers are required to register with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, with registration set to expand to other providers delivering higher-risk supports such as personal care and daily living assistance. For families choosing a provider, this is a useful thing to ask about, since registration is designed to give participants more assurance that their support will be delivered safely. If you are weighing up whether your current NDIS support worker arrangement meets these standards, it is worth checking their registration status directly.

    What we are watching

    Reform of this scale rarely moves quickly, and there is more detail still to come as budgets, plan types and provider requirements shift over the next few years. Mango Care will keep following these updates and sharing what they mean in practice for participants, families and carers here in Canberra.

    In the meantime, if any of this leaves you unsure where your plan stands, that is exactly the kind of thing our free NDIS consultation is built for. And if you are also thinking about behaviour support as part of your plan, our recent piece on finding the right behaviour support practitioner in Canberra covers what to look for there too.

    Source: Andrew Brown, “NDIS laws could make or break budget tax reform,” The Canberra Times, June 22 2026.

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    Canberra’s City Health Centre Closure Extended Until August: What You Need to Know

  • Canberra’s City Health Centre Closure Extended Until August: What You Need to Know

    Canberra’s City Health Centre Closure Extended Until August: What You Need to Know

    A well-known community health hub in the heart of Canberra will remain closed for several more weeks after asbestos was discovered during routine maintenance work — leaving thousands of residents needing to find alternative arrangements for essential health services.

    What happened

    The City Health Centre, located on the corner of Alinga Street and Moore Street in Canberra’s city centre, was first shut down on 1 July after testing confirmed the presence of asbestos-containing materials in the building’s plant room. The discovery was made during routine maintenance checks, and under ACT work health and safety laws, any materials suspected of containing asbestos must be assessed and removed by licensed specialists before normal operations can resume.

    Initially expected to reopen within days, the closure has since been extended multiple times as further investigation revealed the scope of the issue was larger than first thought. According to the Canberra Times, Infrastructure Canberra has now advised that the site is unlikely to reopen before 7 August, pending additional testing, monitoring, and remediation work.

    Which services are affected

    The City Health Centre houses a number of services that many Canberrans rely on regularly, including:

    • The MSI Canberra Abortion and Contraception Clinic
    • BreastScreen ACT
    • The CanTEST pill testing service
    • The Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN)

    All patient appointments originally scheduled at the centre have been, or are in the process of being, rescheduled. Authorities have confirmed that anyone affected should have received — or will soon receive — updated information on where and when they can access these services in the interim.

    What we know about the safety risk

    Ongoing monitoring has cleared several busy areas across multiple floors of the building, even while the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems remain operational. However, full clearance across the entire site is still pending, and authorities are taking a cautious, methodical approach before allowing services to resume.

    The building itself dates back to the 1970s, constructed originally for the ACT Health Service before self-government — a period when asbestos was still widely used in building materials across Australia. This isn’t the first time older public buildings in Canberra have faced similar issues, and it’s a reminder of the ongoing challenges of maintaining ageing infrastructure that houses critical services.

    Why this matters for the community

    Extended closures like this highlight just how important it is for Canberrans to know where else they can turn for health support when their usual services are disrupted. For people who depend on regular screenings, reproductive health services, or harm-reduction programs like pill testing, even a temporary closure can mean delays that affect health outcomes and peace of mind.

    It’s also a timely reminder of the value of having accessible, well-communicated alternative pathways to care — particularly for people with additional support needs, who may find navigating last-minute changes to appointments and locations more difficult.

    What to do if you had an appointment at the City Health Centre

    If you had a booking affected by this closure, the ACT government has advised checking the Canberra Health Services website for the latest updates, or contacting the relevant service directly to confirm your new appointment details.

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