How do you engage people about a major hospital infrastructure project when they’re focused on attending appointments, receiving treatment or supporting loved ones?
This was the challenge facing Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS) as preparations began for Stage 1A Enabling Works of the Townsville University Hospital Expansion.
Delivered under the Queensland Government’s Hospital Rescue Plan, the expansion will bring significant changes to parking, drop-off areas, traffic flow, pedestrian access and wayfinding across the hospital campus.
Recognising the potential impact on patients, carers, visitors and staff, THHS took a practical approach: bringing engagement directly to the people who use the hospital.
Making participation easy and accessible
Rather than asking people to attend a formal consultation session, THHS delivered a three-day engagement program within the hospital environment.
Pop-up booths, surveys, dot voting boards and informal conversations gave patients, carers, visitors and staff opportunities to share their experiences and concerns.
The program recorded more than 500 interactions and 110 survey responses.
Using a journey-mapping approach, participants were asked to reflect on their experiences of arriving at, accessing and navigating the hospital, as well as what would help them continue accessing healthcare safely during construction.
Engaging in a busy hospital environment required flexibility. Many people were managing appointments, health concerns or the needs of loved ones. Some were tired, stressed or had little time to spare.
Activities were therefore designed to be quick and accessible, allowing people to contribute through a short conversation, survey or voting activity without adding unnecessary demands to their visit.
Understanding what matters most to patients
Across the different engagement activities, feedback revealed five consistent priorities:
- Convenient parking and drop-off arrangements
- Clear wayfinding and signage
- Safe and accessible pedestrian pathways
- Weather protection and shade
- Support for people with mobility challenges
Participants also highlighted the importance of transport assistance, wheelchair availability and proactive communication about construction impacts.
While major infrastructure projects often focus on large-scale delivery outcomes, the engagement reinforced the importance of understanding the everyday experiences of people using healthcare services.
For patients and carers, practical details such as finding a parking space, navigating unfamiliar pathways or reaching an appointment safely can have a significant impact on their experience.
Bringing decision-makers into the conversation
A key strength of the program was the direct involvement of representatives from both THHS and Health Infrastructure Queensland (HIQ).
Hearing feedback firsthand helped the project teams develop a shared understanding of consumer priorities and how these should inform planning.
Although the expansion remains in its early stages, feedback is already influencing planning, communication approaches, access arrangements and signage development.
The findings are also informing ongoing discussions about accessibility, weather protection, parking and drop-off arrangements.
This direct connection between community experience and project planning demonstrates the value of involving decision-makers in engagement activities, rather than relying solely on feedback reports.
What can health engagement professionals learn?
For THHS, one of the strongest lessons was that meaningful engagement happens when practitioners meet people where they are.
“The most important lesson was that meaningful engagement happens when we meet people where they are.”
The experience reinforced several practical principles for engagement professionals working in healthcare environments:
- Engage early: Seek input while there is still an opportunity to influence planning.
- Meet people where they are: Make participation accessible within people’s existing routines.
- Offer different ways to contribute: Recognise that people have different needs, preferences and available time.
- Involve decision-makers: Give project teams opportunities to hear experiences firsthand.
- Focus on lived experience: Understand how proposed changes will affect people’s everyday interactions with services.
- Close the feedback loop: Demonstrate how input has informed decisions and outcomes.
As planning for the Townsville University Hospital Expansion continues, THHS intends to use journey mapping, listening activities and ongoing feedback opportunities to keep consumers informed and involved.
The project offers a useful reminder that meaningful engagement does not always require a formal workshop or lengthy consultation process.
Sometimes, the most valuable insights come from making it easier for people to share their experiences in the places where those experiences happen.
