La Trobe’s Health Innovation Strategy: Shaping the Future of Healthcare Training

New La Trobe Health Clinic to Address Critical Shortages and Boost Healthcare Education

La Trobe University is making significant strides in advancing healthcare education with the construction of a new Health Clinic at its Melbourne campus in Bundoora. Scheduled for completion in July 2026, this state-of-the-art facility is set to become the largest interdisciplinary university clinic in Victoria. The clinic is designed to enhance the training of future healthcare professionals, with plans to support the education of 400 additional allied health professionals each year starting in 2026.

The new clinic will serve as both a modern healthcare centre providing public services and a student training ground. It aims to offer clinical placements and hands-on experience, equipping students with the practical skills and confidence required for the workforce. The clinic will provide a broad range of allied health services, including orthoptics, speech pathology, podiatry, psychology, dietetics and nutrition, physiotherapy, audiology, and occupational therapy.

La Trobe's orthoptics students, for instance, are already working with the Royal Children's Hospital to help reduce wait times for public patients. As one of only two universities in Australia offering orthoptist training, La Trobe plans to expand these services further once the new building is completed. This clinical teaching facility is part of La Trobe’s $170 million health innovation initiative, which focuses on enhancing teaching, research, and infrastructure. The initiative aims to train an additional 4,000 health professionals by 2030, particularly in high-need areas.

Moreover, the clinic is a key component of La Trobe University City, a long-term development plan to transform the 235-hectare Bundoora campus into a vibrant urban hub. This hub will include sports, research, innovation, education, commercial, retail, and residential spaces, reinforcing La Trobe’s commitment to creating a thriving educational and professional environment. La Trobe University’s investment in health research and teaching is positioning the institution as a leader in innovation and collaboration. Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell highlighted that the university is addressing critical health workforce shortages in both metropolitan and regional areas through strategic investments in infrastructure and education. He further emphasised that these developments would bring significant community benefits, including regional growth, job creation through capital investment, and contribute to solving national health policy challenges.

Professor Russ Hoye, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Health Innovation, explained that the new clinical teaching building would streamline the transition from student to qualified health practitioner. The facility will support the training of 400 additional allied health professionals and psychologists annually, contributing to the development of a highly skilled workforce. He noted that the state-of-the-art facilities would provide an ideal learning environment, strengthening the local health workforce and ultimately improving healthcare services across Australia.

Allied health, which is Australia's second-largest clinical workforce after nursing and midwifery, covers professions such as physiotherapy, psychology, pharmacy, occupational therapy, and social work. Despite the presence of around 300,000 registered professionals, the federal Department of Health and Aged Care has highlighted shortages in some areas, with demand expected to grow significantly in the coming decade. The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with an ageing population, has further increased the demand for healthcare workers, leading to an even greater need for new students entering the field.

In response to these challenges, Professor Hoye noted that the new clinical teaching building would provide more training placements for students, helping to address workforce shortages and support the growth of Australia's health workforce. The facility is being developed and funded by Plenary Group, La Trobe’s master development partner for the $5 billion La Trobe University City project. Plenary Group Managing Director Damien Augustinus expressed pride in launching the first project under this partnership, supporting La Trobe’s vision of becoming a hub for innovation and collaboration.

As part of its broader Health Innovation Strategy, La Trobe is also investing in new facilities across Victoria. These include Nursing and Midwifery simulation centres in Bundoora, Bendigo, Wodonga, and Mildura, along with a new Dentistry and Oral Health Clinical School in Bendigo. In addition, the university is making significant investments in health-related research, particularly in the care economy and rural health initiatives. This includes the establishment of Australia’s first Care Economy Research Institute. La Trobe University’s ambitious plans and strategic investments are not only advancing healthcare education but also contributing to addressing the growing health workforce challenges in Australia.

Editor's Note

La Trobe University’s ongoing investment in healthcare education and infrastructure represents a decisive and necessary move towards addressing the pressing shortages in Australia’s allied health workforce. The new Health Clinic at the Melbourne campus is poised to provide both essential services to the public and an invaluable platform for future healthcare professionals to gain hands-on experience. This initiative, along with the broader $170 million Health Innovation Strategy, underlines the university's commitment to meeting the sector's ever-evolving demands. However, such efforts should not only be supported but expanded. The future of Australia's healthcare system depends on ensuring that training programs like these are scaled up to match growing demand. La Trobe’s focus on practical training, coupled with strategic research investments, places the university at the forefront of addressing the country’s health workforce crisis.

Skoobuzz believes that this clinic has the potential to significantly transform Australia’s healthcare system, not only by alleviating workforce shortages but by enhancing the quality of care and accessibility for all Australians. The long-term impact of this initiative could be a healthcare system better prepared to meet the demands of the future.