Hospitals 07 August 2023

New Melton Hospital Community Consultation Report - Community engagement overview

The Victorian Government is committed to community engagement. This includes providing meaningful opportunities for input, as well as and regular updates so the community can have their say and stay informed as the project progresses.

Key engagement objectives

The project’s key community engagement objectives were to:

raise awareness of the project
better understand community impacts and areas of concern
keep communities updated on progress, including scope and timelines
provide community engagement opportunities
reach vulnerable and hard-to-reach community groups.

Community influence

The engagement process sought and considered feedback on topics including:

community’s aspirations and values
accessibility
wayfinding
cultural safety
look and feel of the hospital’s design.

Input captured through these key engagement objectives is detailed in this report, which has been provided to shortlisted consortia for consideration as they develop their proposals.

Graphic of three people talking

Scope of engagement

During key stages of the project, community members and key stakeholders have been engaged and provided an opportunity to share their experiences and feedback, including:

Inform the community on project milestones and opportunities to contribute through social media campaigns, print advertising and website and media updates.

Consult with the broader community and Western Health staff and volunteers through information sessions, online surveys and workshops. Ensuring the local community had the opportunity to provide feedback and ideas, ask questions and raise any concerns.

Collaborate with the New Melton Hospital Community Consultative Committee (CCC), established to provide a voice for Melbourne’s outer west community. Provided considered advice on key areas such as

community aspirations and values
accessibility
wayfinding
cultural safety
look and feel of the hospital’s design.

Collaborate with key local groups including First Nations Australians, seniors and carers, young families, and people with lived experience of mental health challenges to seek ideas and priorities around key spaces for the new hospital.

New Melton Hospital Community Consultative Committee

A CCC has been established for the new Melton Hospital, providing a forum for the local community to participate in the project’s planning and development through open dialogue and collaboration.

The committee is the voice for Melbourne’s outer west communities in relation to the new hospital. and provides considered advice on a range of issues.

The New Melton Hospital CCC is chaired by Steve McGhie MP, Member for Melton. Members were selected across gender, age, interests and background to ensure a diverse representation, local knowledge and perspective.

The CCC met regularly between September 2022 and May 2023 to provide input into this report and will continue to be consulted on an as needs basis as the project progresses.

The New Melton Hospital CCC members are:

Member for Melton, Steve McGhie (Chair)
Russell Harrison, CEO, Western Health
Roslyn Wai, CEO, Melton City Council
Tina Skliros, Director of PPP Projects, VHBA
Jordan Casey, Manager of Aboriginal Health, Policy & Planning, Western Health
Corinne Erle Area Manager, Clinical Operations, Ambulance Victoria
Alan Perry, community member
Amit Cheema, community member
Andrew McDermott, community member
Brianna Mitchell, community member
Carmen Martin Issifu, community member
Daniel D’Souza, community member
Erwin De Mesa, community member
Hajar Chlihi, community member
James Hargreaves, community member
Jenny Brown, community member
Kersty Brown, community member
Vickii Warburton, community member.

Communications and Engagement Working Group

A joint VHBA, Western Health and Melton City Council Communication and Engagement Working Group has been established.

This is part of the project’s governance structure and responsible for coordination, development and management of the project’s communications and engagement activities.

The working group helped identify stakeholders and community representatives to be engaged.

This included through existing networks and forums. The working group’s communication channels were also used to promote engagement opportunities.

Engagement timeline

June 2020

Engage Victoria online survey

November 2020

Community survey feedback report published

June 2022

Communications and Engagement Working Group established
Community Consultative Committee (CCC) expression of interest released

August 2022

‘How we’re building Melton Hospital’ community education campaign

September 2022

Engage Victoria online survey
CCC meeting 1

October 2022

Community information sessions at Cobblebank Stadium
CCC meeting 2
‘What would the community like to see in the new Melton Hospital?’ interviews with community members and social media campaign.

January 2023

Project e-newsletter to announce release of Expressions of Interest

February - April 2023

CCC meeting workshops 3- 5

May 2023

CCC meeting 6
Targeted stakeholder workshops

June 2023

Announcement of shortlisted bidders
Release of RFP announcement: Project e-newsletter and social media campaign.

July 2023 – mid 2024 (planned)

Community consultation report published
Next phase of communications: raising awareness of the project scope and timelines while procurement process is underway, engagement with project site neighbours ahead of the start of construction in 2024