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Health Infrastructure

HCCA plays an important role in shaping health infrastructure projects across the ACT by facilitating consumer input and advocating for the needs of consumers in planning and designing health care facilities.

In 2023, the ACT government established the Health Infrastructure Consumer Reference Group (HICRG), which is co-chaired by HCCA. This group is made up of community members who have experience using ACT health infrastructure. It was created to provide expert consumer advice on health infrastructure projects across the ACT. The HICRG focuses on making sure these facilities focus on accessibility, safety and inclusion, ensuring that health facilities meet the diverse needs of the community.

Our work in health infrastructure goes back to 2008 and has led to improvements such as the inclusion of carer zones, dimmable lighting and accessible amenities in patient rooms.

From 2019 – 2024 HCCA provided consumer input into the Canberra Hospital Expansion Project, which resulted in a new main reception and critical services building, forming the new hub of the Canberra Hospital campus.

Our next major work in infrastructure will be the new Northside Hospital Project, which will replace the existing North Canberra Hospital. The new Northside Hospital will be a state-of-the-art facility designed to reflect patient and family-centred care. It will feature new hospital amenities and inpatient services, a new Emergency Department with improved access and spaces for medical practice, teaching, training and research. The project aims to enhance on campus parking and public transport connections to help ease traffic. The project is currently in the plan and design phase. We will be working with Infrastructure Canberra to help guide them on creating a space that meets community needs.

HCCA remains committed to advocating for spaces that are consumer focused. While there is still plenty of work to be done in the space, we look forward to continuing our partnership with the ACT Government to advocate for spaces that fit consumer needs.

Other recent projects HCCA has provided input into:

  • CHS Community Health Centre Upgrades
  • CHS Acute Palliative Care Unit
  • CHS Pathology Expansion
  • CHS Obstetrics Expansion
  • The Canberra Hospital campus – wayfinding improvements
  • The Canberra Hospital campus – western loop bus entrance and bus stop improvements across campus

Ankith Arun Aswath

Ankith Arun Aswath is a dedicated advisor and consumer representative with extensive experience across more than 40 health-related committees, including the Health Infrastructure Reference Group (HIRCG). He has contributed to policy, planning, and infrastructure projects with a particular focus on mental health reform, accessibility, and consumer-centred care. Through his broad committee engagement, Ankith ensures that lived experience and community perspectives are embedded into decision-making at every level.

Bianca Rossetti

Bianca is passionate about improving wellbeing for consumers and carers through advocating our needs. Communicating is vital, providing a voice for people with mental health issues to be heard. Bianca believes in strong community connections and strong intersectional collaboration to improve health and wellbeing.

Heather Warfield

Heather was a nurse/midwife in the ACT for 45 years working in both public and private hospitals while raising 2 children. One of whom has significant disabilities. During her career, she was very involved in the planning and fit out of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, the University Hospital and most recently the Hydrotherapy pool in Tuggeranong. Heather joined HCCA following her retirement because she wanted to continue contributing to help shape the best healthcare system possible for all Canberra citizens now and into the future.

Iga Morzynska

With a background in social work, Iga currently works at the Settlement Council of Australia, supporting refugees and migrants as they build their lives in Australia. Drawing on lived experience as a migrant and person with disability, they bring an intersectional lens to their work. They are passionate about advocating for inclusive systems that reflect the diverse realities of our communities.

Louise Bannister

Louise Bannister is a passionate disability advocate who challenges ableist assumptions, discrimination, and barriers to inclusion. Lou’s mantra is “Nothing about us, without us!” Lou has provided consumer input into many of the major ACT Health Infrastructure projects over the past decade. She advocates for well designed, accessible facilities that provide the best possible healing environments, that are welcoming and safe and cater for the diverse access and cultural needs of our growing community.

Louise Irvine

Louise Irvine has lived experience of hearing loss having been diagnosed as hard of hearing at the age of three. For the last eight years, she has volunteered on the DeafACT board, advocating for the Deaf community in the Canberra region. She received the Inclusion Award at the 2024 Volunteering Awards, Canberra Region. She has qualifications and experience as a Financial Controller.

Ravi Krishnamurthy

Ravi Krishnamurthy is a community leader with extensive contributions to health and health infrastructure policy. He has provided valued submissions to ACT Parliamentary Inquiries, national health consultations, and advisory councils, with a particular emphasis on aged care, mental health, and accessibility for multicultural communities. Ravi has championed initiatives such as Easy Read health screening guides and innovations supporting agile workplace safety. His leadership has been nationally recognised through awards highlighting his contributions to building a mentally healthy society and advancing inclusion principles.

Shobha Varkey

Shobha Varkey is an experienced counsellor and pastoral care practitioner. She currently works with the pastoral care team with the Ainslie Church of Christ. She has previously worked as a counsellor for over 30 years, disability employment consultant and NDIA planner. Before moving into disability support, Shobha was a public servant with the Commonwealth government in several departments and worked for UNHCR during the Sri Lankan Civil war managing a displaced persons camp. Shobha was born in Mumbai and came to live in Canberra in the 1980s. As part of the 2014 centenary of Canberra celebrations, Shobha was named in the Senate as of the 100 most influential women in the development of Canberra.

Sue Webeck

Sue is the CEO of Domestic Violence Crisis Service, a board member of the ACT Council of Social Services and a Board Director of the LGBT Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation as well as having over 22 years of experience in the community sector in the ACT. Sue has lived experience of interacting with health infrastructure through the lens of a neurodiverse LGBTIQA+ Canberran with a chronic condition. Sue is passionate about greater accessibility for health consumers, believing this goes beyond guidelines to be aged and ageing friendly, provide a sense of connection and belonging to community members, and a sense of safety for those who are impacted by trauma, those who are young, who have a diversity of cultural backgrounds, languages and LGBTIQA+ members of our community. Sue is eager to provide perspective through the lens of LGBTQIA+ and anti-violence advocate, while using experience in the community sector to connect with other members of the group to make health infrastructure a safe access point for community.

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