A new transport buggy for patients and families visiting Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) and the Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) is just one of the incredible initiatives funded under the latest round of RBWH Foundation grants.
The service will be invaluable for visitors experiencing mobility challenges or difficulty finding their way around the hospital grounds.
Grant recipient and RBWH Facility Services Director Lisa Sparks said tackling physical access issues was a “foundational element of compassionate, safe and equitable care”.
“I regularly witness the physical and emotional strain that long distances, unclear pathways and mobility limitations place on people - particularly those already dealing with illness, fatigue, disability, or worry for a loved one,” Lisa said.
“These experiences have deeply shaped my understanding of what true patientcentred care looks like: it begins the moment someone steps onto our campus, not when they reach a ward or clinic.”
Close to $600,000 in new initiatives was announced at the ceremony on Monday 16 February, delivering transformative patient care, research and innovation across RBWH, STARS and Jamieson Trauma Institute (JTI).
“The brilliant health and medical innovators across the Herston Health Precinct never fail to impress with their ingenuity and vision,” said RBWH Foundation CEO Simone Garske.
“All of these projects began with a desire to enhance patient outcomes and will deliver almost immediate impact, not only at Metro North Health but, in some cases, across the state and potentially nationally.”
Pictured: RBWH Foundation Grant Round 5 recipients.
Ms Garske encouraged any staff members interested in applying for funding to attend an RBWH Foundation grant information session on 11 March. More information is available here.
The successful research grants are:
Successful patient care projects include:
The next round of grant funding opens on 1 March and closes on 2 April 2026. Learn more here.
