Interprofessional Education Clinic

The project not only reflects a unique healthcare service offering, but also provides a sense of community beyond the traditional health facility, all within a cutting-edge learning environment for Victoria University students. The development successfully produced an innovative healthcare facility that supports interprofessional education and holistic healthcare. 

The IPE clinic’s design by Woods Bagot was influenced by its innovative approach to healthcare, with the client as the central focus. Instead of meeting with individual health experts for each health issue, clients meet with a lead member of an interprofessional team, who then collaborates with the wider, multidisciplinary professional healthcare team to determine a tailored treatment plan for the client’s overall needs.

The clinic features ‘interprofessional pods’, where the healthcare team can watch and review the lead member’s consultation with the patient via telepresence, meaning multiple team members are able to provide specialist advice to help shape the overall treatment plan. 

The clinical teams consist of senior students from Victoria University working together with the University of Melbourne, University of Notre Dame, and Kangan Institute of TAFE, under the supervision of expert and registered professional health practitioners.

To meet each individual’s treatment complexities, the clinic offers a range of spaces, including a teaching kitchen for the demonstration of healthy food preparation, and an active living laboratory where rehabilitation clients are assisted to maximise their quality of movement.

The building’s architecture references the surrounding landscape. Its forms encompasses a large U-shape around a central spine of landscaping, with the sculptural profile of the building and vertical sloping windows inspired by the verticality of the gorge rocks and cliffs. The landscape is effectively brought into the heart of the building, creating a visual release for visitors and staff.