Hospitals 15 May 2025

Design development in action for new Melton Hospital

Patients and clinicians put at the heart of the design.

More than 60 user group meetings and design workshops have taken place in the lead up to major construction starting mid-year.

As part of the design development process, over 20 workshops have taken place at Big Plans, giving staff and clinicians the opportunity to walk-through real-life projections of key spaces.

The Birthing and Maternity Assessment Centre (MAC) was at the centre of discussions recently as staff tested the functionality of rooms, by walking through life size projections of each space.

Learn more about how staff and clinicians are contributing to the design below.

Design development well underway on your new Melton Hospital

Accessible transcript

[Images: Time lapse footage of Western Health clinicians, staff and architects viewing one-to-one plans at Big Plans facility]

[Images: Prof Russell Harrison, CEO Western Health talks to camera]

Prof Russell Harrison: We've got Melton now in full design mode, which is really exciting. And of course we've also got a whole health service to run and serve the growing population of the West.

[Images: Staff discuss projected plans in front of a prop hospital bed]

[Images: Lucy Nash, Operations Manager, Maternity Services, Western Health talks to camera]

Lucy Nash: It's so, so exciting, we're having a new hospital built. We have such a large consumer base that is based in the Melton region. Being involved as part of this process has been really exciting. Being a frontline staff member, you kind of get to know what's needed, what works, what doesn't.

[Images: Staff discuss section of the new build plans with prop wall sections bringing projects the floor plans to life]

Prof Russell Harrison: It's great to get the clinical teams into a room where they can actually envisage what the new hospital will look like.

[Images: Adj Prof Tanya Farrell, Director, Maternity Services, Western Health talks to camera]

Adj Prof Tanya Farrell: It's been really great to be here to actually see the plans that we're putting together for our new Melton Hospital come to life.

[Images: Staff discuss projected floor plan while rearranging prop walls and hospital beds]

Lucy Nash: Being able to help design and really feel listened to has been a great part of this process.

[Images: Prof Russell Harrison, CEO Western Health talks to camera]

Russell: On the floor is a one-to-one scale of the rooms that we will be working in, happens to be maternity at the moment, and we've got props where they can put walls in and staff can really then say, well, will this work for our clinical patient group? Will it work for us?

[Images: Time lapse footage of Western Health clinicians, staff and architects reviewing plans and rearranging prop walls]

[Images: Adj Prof Tanya Farrell, Director, Maternity Services, Western Health talks to camera]

Adj Prof Tanya Farrell: For me, it's been really difficult to visualise the size of the rooms based on a plan that's on a piece of paper, on a table. So actually coming to a place like this to actually see the size and the depth and the breadth of the rooms has been really exciting

[Images: A staff member pushes a prop hospital bed through a doorway opening and into a unit space as staff consult about the design of that space]

[Images: Emma West, Project Director, Monash Medical Centre Tower Expansion Project talks to camera]

Lucy Nash: And we get to walk through, kind of feel the area. They've even put up fake walls for us and put in proper birthing beds just to really feel how the space will work.

[Images: Christine Chen, Director of Opthalmology Monash health talks to camera]

Christine Chen: I've been involved in quite a few hospital redesigns and this is the first time I've been and this is the first time I've been to a place like Big Plans.

[Images: Rachel Rosler, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Monash Medical Centre talks to camera]

Rachel Rosler: I think it's brought a level of excitement to everyone and the staff, including me. We really have genuinely made some differences that will go through to the build.

[Images: Time lapse footage of Monash clinicians, staff and architects viewing one-to-one plans at Big Plans facility]

Russell: We're in what we call detailed design process at the moment, so it is exactly how you get the hospital to work for the patient need. It's much easier to redesign it here than when you get on site and start building things.

Lucy Nash: The forward planning that's needed to think about our birth rate in the area, the population that this is gonna serve, how many staff will need

Russell: The preparatory work that we're doing now is gonna be absolutely essential. A, to make the build go smoothly and faster, but also to make sure when we open it's actually fit for purpose and fit for the future. It's really important for us to bring services to the West to keep care as close to home as possible to keep care as close to home as possible and to meet the continuing population growth.

Lucy Nash: 2029 is around the corner and we'll walk in. Everyone will be jealous. We'll have a brand new hospital. The staff will love working there, and our consumers I hope will be really excited.

[Images: A partnership screen with a white background displays the text 'In partnership with' Monash Health (logo)]

[Images: A sliding transition screen then displays the Victorian Health Building Authority and Victoria State Government logos and the url vhba.vic.gov.au]

[End of transcript]

How it works

In the past, designs for hospitals and other healthcare facilities could only be reviewed by looking at 2D drawings on paper or virtual models and renders on a computer. Most people don’t think about the world around them or their workspaces in this way.

How would the functionality of a birth suite work if you started with a blank canvas? What if you could move a door or desk? How do multiple people in a room, each with a task, change how the space feels?

Big Plans help us to answer those questions and many more.

Using overhead projectors, the architectural plans of departments at the new Melton Hospital, were cast onto an open floorspace. This allowed clinicians, nurses, midwives and project managers to walk through full-scale floor plans of the new facility.

'This is a critical part of the journey to delivering a major hospital. The ability to bring these key spaces to life for our Western Health staff and consumers provides a great opportunity to experience what these spaces will look and feel like and provide real time feedback to our design team.'
Jeff Kauffman, Executive Project Director, New Melton Hospital Project, Victorian Health Building Authority

Projecting entire sections of the building at a time enables the feedback to stretch beyond how a single room is used in isolation, framing the flow between spaces and services.

Beyond bricks and mortar

A detailed design development process allows for a functional hospital from day one of operations.

Melbourne’s west is home to one of the fastest growing communities in the state and country. An important role in supporting this growth is the delivery of birthing and maternity services.

Bringing plans to life

For many staff members, visualising a space or room from a piece of paper can be challenging. Being able to physically walk through a model of the hospital allows them to experience how the space will function and feel—something that a plan on page simply cannot replicate.

'For me, it’s been difficult to visualise the size of the rooms based on a plan on a piece of paper. Coming to a place like this to see the size, depth, and breadth of the rooms has been exciting.'
Tanya, Director, Maternity Services - Western Health

This hands-on approach is invaluable, providing frontline staff with the opportunity to assess how workstations, birthing suites, and patient areas will function in real life.

Involving staff

Frontline staff members have a deep understanding of what works in a hospital setting and what needs improvement.

Their involvement in the planning and design process has led to practical adjustments, ensuring workspaces are efficient and fit for purpose.

'There’s been a couple of changes made—a tight desk space, the location of the door, and a sink that needed to be repositioned. It’s been great that we’ve been able to walk through, identify what’s working, and make necessary changes.'
Lucy, Operations Manager, Maternity Services - Western Health

She said this collaborative approach reassures staff that their voices are heard, and their insights are valued.

'It’s been great to work with my team to think about what it’s going to look like for us on a day-to-day basis and equally what it will mean for women and families.'
Tanya, Director, Maternity Services - Western Health

Designed for the community

Melton’s growing population means demand for maternity and birthing services is only increasing.

The new hospital is being designed to meet these needs, ensuring families can receive care close to home.

The Birthing and MAC will be co-located with the operating theatre, providing easy access to a key component of the hospital’s pregnancy care model.

Big Plans is just one of the ways staff and clinicians are being engaged throughout the planning process, ensuring that the new Melton Hospital will not only serve the community’s growing needs but also provide a practical and supportive environment for those working within it.

'Using the beds, chairs, and pretend walls has been a good opportunity to get a feel for what the space will be like.'
Tanya, Director, Maternity Services - Western Health

This level of forward planning is essential and does take time. It ensures the new hospital is ready to deliver high-quality care from day one.

It considers the needs of patients and staff to ensure each service will serve the community now and well into the future.

About your new Melton Hospital

The new Melton Hospital will be a public hospital operated by Western Health. The hospital will be built at 245A Ferris Road, Cobblebank and will deliver:

a 24-hour emergency department
an intensive care unit
at least 274 beds
maternity and neonatal services
mental health services
radiology services
ambulatory care
a new education and training hub for doctors and nurses in Melbourne's west.

Learn more about the new Melton Hospital

Design development in action for new Melton Hospital

Accessible transcript

How it works