August 2026 Sydney Symposium 

Event Report by Ian Alcazar, Senior Advisor, Developments, VIDA Health

As healthcare demand grows more complex, so too does the need for planning and infrastructure that connects policy, service delivery, design and research from the outset. 

The August 2026 event in AHDC's Complex Challenges, Connected Thinking series was held in partnership with Health Infrastructure NSW, bringing together healthcare planners, designers, clinicians, researchers and government infrastructure professionals across a multi-city format spanning Sydney, Newcastle and Canberra. Through a hospital case study, an innovation showcase and a cross-sector panel discussion, the event explored how health infrastructure can adapt to changing community needs, emerging technology and evolving models of care.

Opening remarks from Nicky Seaby, John Barnard-Richardson and Kate Evans set the scene, emphasising the multidisciplinary collaboration required to address the growing complexity of healthcare planning and delivery. The central message was clear: better healthcare environments depend on connections between policy, service planning, infrastructure, research and lived experience.

The John Hunter Health + Innovation Precinct 

Kirstie Irwin, Karen Height and Nicholas Rayner presented the John Hunter Health + Innovation Precinct as a case study in integrating clinical planning, evidence-based design and community experience. A defining feature of the project was its emotional design brief, which translated the experiences of patients, carers, staff and community members into four guiding principles: access to nature, safety and security, access to space, and integrity and privacy. These principles informed the design of inpatient rooms, including clearer zones for patients and carers, stronger connections to the landscape and more adaptable furniture arrangements. 

Connection to Country was embedded throughout the precinct in consultation with Aboriginal stakeholders. Landscape design, environmental graphics, artwork, wayfinding and references to local flora and fauna were used to create a culturally meaningful environment with a strong sense of place. 

The design process also combined lived experience with rigorous operational testing. Clinical simulation and ergonomic evaluation identified practical refinements to inpatient rooms, including changes to ensuite access, medical gas locations and carer accommodation. This demonstrated the value of testing cultural, emotional and functional considerations together.

Innovation in Action: Embedding Research and Innovation in Health Infrastructure 

Dr Anita Vandyke and Tiffany Chiew explored how research and innovation can be embedded in healthcare delivery and infrastructure planning. Their session reinforced that innovation should not be treated as a separate activity introduced after a facility has been designed. Projects instead need clear pathways through which research, technology and emerging evidence can be tested, evaluated and translated into practical improvements. 

An AI-enabled thermal imaging case study demonstrated the potential for emerging technologies to generate new insights into how healthcare environments are used. It also highlighted the need to consider privacy, implementation, clinical relevance and measurable benefits when evaluating new technologies. 

Embedding innovation requires more than adopting a new tool. It depends on collaboration between researchers, clinicians, infrastructure teams and technology specialists, supported by governance that enables ideas to be trialled and evidence to inform investment decisions.

Panel Discussion: From Systems to Services to Infrastructure 

Gerard Duck, Nicky Seaby and Anthony Schembri brought policy, infrastructure and health service perspectives to a panel discussion exploring how system strategy can be better aligned with the built environment. 

The panel highlighted a fundamental challenge for the sector: major health infrastructure projects can take many years to plan and deliver, while workforce availability, technology, patient expectations and models of care continue to evolve rapidly. Better-connected data is needed to understand not only projected demand, but also whether future services will be financially, operationally and clinically sustainable. 

Northern Sydney's ageing population provided a compelling example. If care continues to be delivered in the same way, demand for hospital beds will become unsustainable. The health system must expand preventive, virtual, community-based and hospital-in-the-home services while ensuring that hospital environments remain appropriate for people experiencing frailty, dementia, mental illness and other age-related health conditions. 

The discussion introduced the idea of moving beyond flexibility towards "elasticity": creating infrastructure and services that can expand, contract and adapt as demand changes. This requires project teams to review their assumptions throughout planning, design, construction and commissioning, rather than relying solely on forecasts prepared at the outset. The panel also emphasised that connected thinking requires more than goodwill between organisations. It depends on clear governance, shared objectives, trusted relationships and established decision-making pathways that remain effective throughout the project.

Designing for a Connected Health System 

The event demonstrated that connected thinking becomes meaningful when it is embedded throughout the planning, design, testing and delivery of health infrastructure. By bringing together diverse expertise and sustaining collaboration across each stage, the sector can create healthcare environments that meet current needs while remaining adaptable to future models of care.

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AHDC extends its thanks to the volunteers whose work made this event possible, and to our partners and hosts: Health Infrastructure NSW, Hunter New England Local Health District and Infrastructure Canberra. A recording of the event is available on our website for members.

Watch the Recording