Holiday service closures

Walk-in Centres and Canberra Hospital Emergency Department will operate as normal over the Christmas and New Year period. Some other services have more restricted opening hours.

ACT Emergency Departments

ACT Emergency Departments at Canberra Hospital and Calvary Hospital will operate as normal over the Christmas and New Year period.

Visitors are limited to two (2) at the bedside at any one time. Find out more about other changes due to COVID-19.

ACT Pathology

Several Collection Centres have different opening hours over this holiday period. For all the details go to ACT Pathology Collection Centre opening hours.

Breastscreen ACT

BreastScreen ACT clinics will be closed from 5pm on 24 December 2022 and will reopen from 4 January 2023.

For bookings or information call 13 20 50.

Canberra Hospital Courtesy Bus

The Courtesy Bus that loops Canberra Hospital campus will not run between 26 December 2022 and 2 January 2023.

Canberra Sexual Health Centre

The centre will be closed from 4pm on Friday 23 December and will reopen at 9am on Tuesday 3 January 2023.

For HIV PEP treatment during this time, please present to the Emergency Department.

Central Health Intake

Central Health Intake will be closed from 3.30pm on 24 December and will reopen on 4 January 2023.

Community Health Centres

Canberra Health Services provides six Community Health Centres across the ACT offering a range of general and specialist health services to people of all ages. Visit locations and directions to find out more. Or if you don’t know which service or clinic you’re going to, please use our service & clinic finder first.

All Community Health Centres are closed from 25 December until 2 January (inclusive), however, limited services are available at some locations during this period.

Community Nursing

Our Community Care Nursing Service is closed 25 December 2022.

COVID-19 Care@Home

If you are diagnosed as having COVID-19 in the ACT and you are isolating at home, you will be enrolled into the ACT COVID Care@Home Program.

You can call the team on 5124 3085 or track your symptoms on the MyDHR app.

The COVID Care@Home service runs between 8.30am and 5pm, 7 days a week. After 5pm, you should call healthdirect on 1800 022 222.

COVID-19 Clinic

We have a dedicated clinic to provide you with the support, advice and care you need if you have tested positive for COVID-19 or have had a positive rapid antigen test (RAT).

The COVID-19 Clinic is located at Weston Creek Community Health Centre.

There is signage to direct you to the COVID-19 Clinic – please be sure to go to the correct entrance to ensure the safety of others.

The clinic is open from 2pm to 10pm every day including public holidays.

COVID-19 Testing

Maternal and Child Health (MACH) services

Maternal and child health services are closed on public holidays.

For parenting and child health advice on public holidays, you can contact Pregnancy Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 or healthdirect on 1800 022 222. In a life-threatening emergency call Triple Zero (000).

For more information about our services, please see Maternal and Child Health.

Mental Health

Access Mental Health provides a 24-hour, 7 days a week telephone screening/assessment and referral service for ACT residents who have a mental illness, their families and their carers.

Access will be available every day of the Christmas and New Year period and will provide referrals to the Home Assessment Acute Response Team, or other services as appropriate.

You can call Access on 1800 629 354 (free call) or 6205 1065, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Acute mental health services at Canberra Hospital will operate as usual during the Christmas and New Year period.

Find out about other places to get mental health services on our adult mental health page. For child and adolescent-specific services, visit Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

Walk-in Centres

Walk-in centres provide free treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses such as cuts and strains, fractures, and infections. No appointment is needed.

The following centres will be open 7.30am to 10pm every day, including Christmas and New Year’s Day:

• Belconnen
• Tuggeranong
• Gungahlin
• Inner North (Dickson)
• Weston Creek

Note: Children under 1 year old, and people with complex or serious conditions should see their General Practitioner.

Women’s Health Services

Women’s Health Service will be closed from Saturday, 24 December and reopens on Tuesday 3 January 2023.