Engaging with community members with lived experience is important in delivering healthcare facilities that meet the needs of the people who will use them.
For the New Women and Babies Hospital Project, community engagement is a key part of designing spaces that are welcoming, inclusive and fit for purpose.
A Project Community Advisory Group (PCAG) was established during the project’s planning phase in 2024.
Following the appointment of Webuild as the Managing Contractor for this project in 2025, the PCAG were invited to a meeting to see the early conceptual designs for both the new Women and Babies Hospital and new facilities planned for Osborne Park Hospital.
The PCAG brings together a diverse mix of community members with recent lived experience of women and newborn health services in Western Australia. The group includes people from Aboriginal communities, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, regional and remote areas, people living with a disability, people who are neurodivergent and those who identify as LGBTQIA+.
By sharing their experiences, PCAG members provide valuable perspectives on what matters most to patients, families and carers - from how physical spaces feel and function, to how they support dignity, safety and inclusion.
Insights from recent PCAG sessions
The PCAG met with the Managing Contractor in October and December 2025.
Presentations covered early design work and scenario-based case studies. A facilitated discussion was held after each presentation with emphasis on:
- design themes
- connectivity
- landscape response
- sustainability
- the maternity journey from a design perspective.
These conversations captured a wide range of perspectives and highlighted opportunities for how the physical environment can support comfort, accessibility, cultural safety and connection.
Feedback from the facilitated sessions was shared with the Managing Contractor for their consideration as continued refining their designs.
The PCAG will remain engaged throughout the life of the project as design and construction progresses.
