Latest news
A look inside Queensland Health’s only statewide drug and alcohol support service
The Hospital Alcohol and Drug Service (HADS) at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) is Queensland Health’s only statewide public inpatient detox unit.
Why do I feel exhausted after a good night sleep?
If you’ve ever woken up from a seemingly good night’s sleep feeling exhausted, you might have wondered whether there is a deeper underlying issue at play.
Improve your daily dose of doze
Sleep experts estimate that 3 in 4 Australians are struggling to get a good night’s sleep which is becoming increasingly recognised as a pillar of good health.
Healthy ageing service helping the elderly get out and about
A unique service which supports older persons address aged-related medical conditions and improving personal capabilities and mobility is seeing great results for Moreton Bay residents.
Events
Adult Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECMO Course 2026
Date:28 April - 1 May 2026
3 - 6 November 2026
Time: TBC
Venue: The Prince Charles Hospital, Education Centre
This 4-day course will enable multidisciplinary teams with little ECMO experience to provide ECMO for patients with severe cardiac and respiratory failure.
Advanced Life Support - Level 2
Date: 14 - 15 May 2026
Time: TBC
Venue: The Prince Charles Hospital
2-day course focusing on developing advanced skills in managing the deteriorating patient and cardiac arrest
Advanced Life Support - Level 1 Course
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: TBC
Venue: The Prince Charles Hospital
Level 1 courses are for those clinicians who want general competence in airway management and basic life support for a deteriorating patient and cardiac arrest. Suitable if you normally are part of team rather than the lead.
Masks are an important defence against respiratory illness and protection from dust and other airborne hazards.Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Cnr Butterfield St and
Bowen Bridge Rd
HERSTON QLD 4029
Phone: (07) 3646 8111
Feedback about your care
RBWH-PLS@health.qld.gov.au
Phone: (07) 3646 8216
/ MetroNorthHHS
If you're a woman struggling with feeling exhausted after a good night's sleep, you may actually have sleep apnoea, even without the typical symptoms! 😴🛌
RBWH Director of Thoracic Medicine Dr Hervey who specialises in sleep disorders says that the condition presents differently in men and women and should not be overlooked.
“If we focus on obstructive sleep apnoea, we traditionally have seen this in middle aged and older men who are overweight,” he said.
“However, that picture is changing. With better access to testing, we are diagnosing it more often in women and younger people.
“They may present differently, which can lead to it being missed. Rather than loud snoring or a partner noticing pauses in breathing, women in particular may present with insomnia or describe ongoing poor sleep quality as their main concern.”
If you're having trouble with your sleep, seeing your GP for a referral to a sleep study is a great place to start!
Thank you for acknowledging that sex matters in research and provision healthcare, too often we are seeing only gender ID data capture and its skewing biology leading to poorer clinical outcomes for the most overlooked sex. Big fan of Dr David McIntosh’s book female forty and fatigued.
Ì have a sleep disorder due to severe acquired brain injury and have been refused help. The pxxx poor reason I was given for being refused was that the so-called sleep study showed that my oxygen levels didn't fall far enough at night to qualify for help. I noticed that all the fatsters in the clinic for tests and help qualified but I didn't.
"I found out I has Aplastic Anemia in April last year. I was getting treatment in Toowoomba until I needed a bone marrow transplant in February of this year when I came under the care of the Royal Brisbane. I went through treatment in Ward 5C, they are really incredible and everything went smoothly, I have been out for a few weeks and just come in twice a week for appointments. I finished an agricultural science degree last year and spent a lot of time on the golf course trying to live a normal life. I'm down in Brisbane until June but looking forward to getting back to Toowoomba and sleeping in my own bed. I think positivity and staying active is the secret to a smooth recovery."
💭 Monday Mantra, Sam, RBWH Oncology Patient
Fantastic attitude Sam…..glad you’re doing well and congratulations on the degree ❤️
Great pic Sam Wendy Titterton so good to see you looking so well and advocating for this procedure x
RBWH WardC staff are wonderful. Big thanks to Nurse Adam.
We were also in the same ward. So pleased your transplant is going smoothly. The care in 5C is exceptional. We are working hard to increase the number of Stem cell donors on the registry. Having an eventSunnybank Plaza & Sunny Park andToowong Village to Swab more for Stem Cell Donors Australia . Love seeing this positive post. Sending you continuing good health.
RBWH Ward 5C are so wonderful. I had my bone marrow transplant there 3 years ago 😊
So happy for you Sam Titterton! Keep going!
Thinking of you Sam. We are all supporting you mate
Stephanie Patricia
Whilst our doctors and nurses are on the frontlines helping patients every day, there are a team that work behind the scenes to ensure patient flow and exceptional hygiene across the hospitals. 🏥🧑🦽➡️
Nick, who spends most of his time in the RBWH ED, is one of the hundreds of Patient Support Officers across Metro North that assist with infection control cleaning, patient transportation and patient handling.
"I find it’s one of the best areas to work in. We have incredible diversity in the role and in our staff, and we have a lot of solidarity with the doctors and nurses," said Nick.
"I’ve been here three and a bit years. I came from a facilities background in mining but I wish I had started this job earlier."
The hospital cannot operate without patient support workers like Nick. Well done Nick. Nice to be recognise. Keep the good work going.
As an old nurse I appreciate the people like Nick who work in the background, often without any acknowledgement. Thank you.
Wardies are the bomb !!! Without them nothing would function ! Well done to all you PSO's !!!! and Thank you for being kind and cheery !
Wooohoooo NICKKKK
Nick is a legend!
Hi Nick ( the hoverer) glad to see you have a satisfying career.
Well done Nick. Glad you found your calling, even if it was later in life. I really appreciate everything the PSO's do to help me in my nursing roll at RBWH
Doing a great job! (RN RBH 1995-2000).
All of us pso's do anything amazing job no matter which hospital we work at
Nicky 🙌🏻
Good on you Nick keep up the amazing work and thank you for all of the conversations when taking me to X-ray etc. 
Shout out to PSO Shane in the RBH transit lounge - his dedication to patients and support for QAS staff doesn't go unnoticed, thanks for being an amazing PSO Shane!
I worked over 30 years at RBH to RBWH As a support worker at Food Services & Supply & have always said that these people play a very important role in the every day operation of the health system.
Nick and the other ETC Wardie’s do a fantastic job!
Good on you Nick. I’m loving the action shots. We cannot do without our Wardies. Thank you and to all our Operational Officers for all you do.
Thanks for all you do Nick - appreciate the great work our PSO’s / operational officer teams do!
Great job! We can’t do without our Patient Support Officers! They all do an amazing job!
Shoutout to the best Redcliffe Hospital PSO Caron Welsh . Our PSO's are our backbone. They support nurses, our patients. Behind every good nurse is a great PSO!
Woohoo Nick.
Great work these devoted staff. Its just a pity our hospitals are NOT fragrance free. Too many staff caked in perfumes, body sprays AND aftershaves. Its such an allergic health problem for many in the community.
Look where those Aspley High kids get to, huh?! 😉 Looking good, Nick.
Sterilisation is an essential part of keeping our hospitals moving, with our busy teams in the Sterile Processing Centre working hard behind the scenes to ensure equipment is safe for patients. 🧼🪛
Clinical Nurse Kellie works at RBWH, ensuring operations run smoothly and educating staff across the hospital on equipment best practices.
"We have a high standard that we need to achieve, every reusable device should be able to be tracked back to that patient, so we know where all of our equipment is and where it has been," she said.
"I love educating, I'm currently doing a Graduate Certificate in Education, explaining how the instruments are used on patients, I get lots of questions every day.
"The team here are awesome, it's a big place in here and we operate 24 hours a day. Not many people know about sterilising and it's often underappreciated, the hospital will stop if we stop."
A big #ShoutoutSaturday to the Sterile Processing Centre teams at our hospitals for all their hard work. 👏🫧
Nice pic Kellie!! What a great shout out!!
Well done Kellie! We could not do it without you
Great recognition for all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to keep patients safe. Well done Kellie Tonkin and team….it was a pleasure to work with you all.
My mum worked at Royal Kids Theatre sterlising and making up theatre packs msnu many years ago. She loved her job and often was asked to come sit with the children waiting to go into theatre, frightened and scared. She loved being able to talk and chat with the littlies and calm them down.
I'm so grateful for the hardworking teams in Sterile Processing Centre
I’m so glad to see the essential hospital staff receiving the. Praise they deserve. There are all doing such a great job.
So much respect and appreciation to all the SPC staff. Kellie, you are an exceptional person , nurse, leader, mentor and colleague. Thank you.
Well done Kellie and great communicator!
Well done..CSD is the back bone..your work is so valued
Great job Kellie
Such a vital place for the smooth and safe operations of essential equipment required for surgery. Some places think flash sterilisation is adequate until patients start getting the iatrogenic wound infections.
Well done Kellie. Fabulous department with an amazing team
One of the best people in the place. Truly caring for colleges and standards. I wish I could have done more to support you. Don't ever forget how amazing you are
Great work Kellie!!
It used to be called CSSD back in the 80's& I think it was Ceilia Nathan used to run it then & she was a tough old biddie lol!!
Very proud of our Kellie and her dedication 💖
Such an important job ! Well done everyone !
One of my favourite humans !! Exceptional standards ♥️♥️♥️
Di Tonkin look who it is !!
Baylee Monroe
Great idea , maybe the likes of Barny Rubble.( Joyce), Redheaded Fish n Chips lady, Bob Scatter, Cris-thefooli, should have visited the sterile hospital before they breed. P.S. ill put Dutton and Taylor in as well. 😆 🤣
Such a great service. We scrub nurses were very grateful for their services at the RBHWH. The trays were always done up so nicely. It was great to see everything in its place. Made our jobs so much easier. Thanks team!
If counting sheep just isn’t cutting it anymore, the team at the RBWH sleep lab can help turn restless nights into real answers. 🐑💤
Clinical Measurement Scientists Fiona and Katie take you behind the scenes on what goes on during a sleep study. 😴🛌
Go Katie!!
Thank you so very much sistah xx
Susan Richards-Clark
I need a sleep test but gosh so expensive not to mention the equipment for after if you need it
Donate now to RBWH Foundation.
