DCWC provided clinical health planning services for the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s facility, located within the University Hospital Geelong precinct.

This project aims to enhance Barwon Health’s clinical capability and capacity for women’s and children’s services, supporting families in Geelong and surrounding areas with access to high-quality care close to home.

The facility will feature collocated contemporary maternity and paediatric services, designed to improve patient flow, create a safer and more efficient workplace for staff, and deliver seamless patient care. Its modern layout ensures operational integration with key services on campus, such as Medical Imaging and the Emergency Department, while maintaining a distinct identity as a standalone facility.

Key Contributions by DCWC

• Collaborated with diverse stakeholders to define and align priorities with Barwon Health and the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA).
• Developed high-level Models of Care to support Barwon Health’s growing clinical capabilities.
• Prepared the Strategic Functional Brief and Schedules of Accommodation to guide the master planning process and ensure solutions were within budget.
• Delivered master plan options that provided feasible, future-focused solutions, supporting long-term campus development over the next 20 years.

Approach and Scope

Our Clinical Health Planners worked closely with stakeholders to create:

• Innovative Models of Care tailored to the Women’s and Children’s facility.
• Strategic Functional Brief and Schedules of Accommodation to underpin master plan and feasibility study development.
• Collaborative design feedback to ensure emerging solutions stayed true to operational models and strategic goals.

The result is a forward-thinking facility that balances innovation, functionality, and community needs, contributing to the ongoing development of a large regional health service.

To learn more about our Health Advisory services and to view our recent projects.