About Us

Queensland Respiratory and Sleep is a specialty practice with multiple locations across Queensland established and run by experienced consultant respiratory & sleep physicians. Our doctors are committed to providing the best possible support for general practitioners and compassionate care for patients suffering from all aspects of respiratory and sleep disorders. All our doctors are available for general consultation, however each physician also has special interest expert areas.  These complementary sub-specialty interests of our physicians enable our practice to expertly treat all patients.  Our sub-specialty interests include lung cancer, chronic airways disease, pulmonary hypertension, chronic lung infections, interstitial lung disease, sleep apnoea and parasomnias.

Meet our medical team

Dr Chris Zappala

Dr Zappala is a Respiratory and Sleep Physician. He achieved his MBBS(Hons) at the University of Queensland and underwent his advanced training at the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital. Dr Zappala worked for two years in London at the Royal Brompton Hospital where he began his interest and research in interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension.  He has an active interest in airways disease and sleep apnoea also.

His research interests include examining how change in serial pulmonary function and chest imaging describe disease behaviour and predict survival in interstitial lung disease, epidemiology of pulmonary hypertension, assessing diffuse lung diseases at baseline.

Dr Zappala is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Australian Medical Association.

Dr Zappala consults at Wesley Medical Centre and St Stephen’s Hospital Hervey Bay.

For an appointment with Dr Chris Zappala, please call 07 3371 0500 .

Dr Farzad Bashirzadeh

Dr Bashirzadeh is a Respiratory and Sleep Physician. He obtained his medical degree in Iran and completed his FRACP training at The Canberra Hospital and Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital in Brisbane.  Farzad has completed further training in interventional bronchoscopy including Thoraxklinik Heidelberg and robotic bronchoscopy at Intuitive Surgical in US.

Farzad’s main interest area is interventional pulmonology, including diagnostic and management of lung cancer using endobronchial ultrasound, narrow band image (NBI) bronchoscopy, bronchial stenting and medical thoracoscopy. He performs Endobronchial lung volume reduction for management of severe COPD in both public and private.

Farzad consults for diagnosis and management of lung cancer, asthma, emphysema, sleep disordered breathing, chronic cough, sarcoidosis, pleural disease and other respiratory conditions.

Dr Bashirzadeh is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a member of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, the European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society.

Farzad consults at Wesley Medical Centre, St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, St Stephen’s Hospital Hervey Bay and Mater Misericordiae Hospital Rockhampton.

For an appointment with Dr Farzad Bashirzadeh, please call 07 3871 0033.

Dr Geoff Fanning

Queensland trained Respiratory and Sleep Physician. He completed his medical degree from the University of Queensland in 2009. Dr Fanning undertook his respiratory training at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and Logan Hospital and completed his Sleep Fellowship at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Dr Fanning currently holds Staff Specialist Respiratory and Sleep Physician positions at the Mater Public Hospital and Logan Hospital.

Dr Fanning’s interests include emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, bronchiectasis, pleural disease and lung cancer. In addition, he is interested in both respiratory and non-respiratory sleep disorders.
Dr Fanning is trained in bronchoscopy, including endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), and pleural disease management. He is committed to providing a high standard of care to his patients, with consideration of their individual circumstances and practical needs. Dr Fanning has a strong focus on communication with patients, family, and the wider care team.

Dr Fanning Consults at Greater Springfield Specialist Suites and Mater Misericordiae Hospital Rockhampton.

For an appointment with Dr Geoff Fanning, please call 07 5322 5904.

Dr Hervey Lau

Dr Hervey Lau

Dr Hervey Lau is a Queensland-trained Respiratory, Sleep, and General Physician who speaks fluent English and Cantonese. Dr Lau initially undertook specialist internal medicine training at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital before embarking on advanced respiratory training at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and Mater Hospital. Dr Hervery Lau then returned to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital to complete his fellowship in sleep medicine.

Whilst general respiratory and sleep practice is broad, Dr Hervey Lau’s keen interest is to offer assistance in the work-up and management of patients with airway diseases (such as asthma and COPD), lung cancer, and sleep disorders (such as obstructive sleep apnoea and insomnia).

Dr Hervey Lau has opened his books for new patients in his rooms at Sunnybank Private Hospital. If you would like to discuss referral of a patient or any aspect of a patient’s care, please do not hesitate to contact Dr Hervey Lau’s rooms on ph-07 5322 5904 or via fax (3371 0522) or email (reception@qldrespiratorysleep.com.au).

Dr Alistair Cook

Dr Alistair Cook

Dr Alistair Cook is a Respiratory Physician who graduated from the University of Queensland and completed his training at Logan and Gold Coast University Hospitals. He has since completed fellowships in Severe Asthma at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, and Interventional

Bronchoscopy at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. Dr Cook is currently completing his PhD investigating asthma attacks in patients

receiving advanced asthma treatments.

Dr Cook has a public position at RBWH, and he has recently commenced seeing patients in private practice and has appointments available for immediate consultation. Dr Cook has broad expertise and is happy to be involved in the care of all general respiratory conditions. His subspecialty interests are difficult asthma, COPD, lung cancer and bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound.

Dr Cook is available for immediate consultation at our Wesley clinic, with future appointments to be available at our new clinic at Northwest Private Hospital starting 16 May 2022. To book an appointment with Dr Cook, phone 07 3871 0033 or email reception@qldrespiratorysleep.com.au
Dr Sophie Williams

Dr Sophie Williams

Dr Williams completed her medical degree at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom in 2002.   After working for the NHS in hospitals in the East Midlands, she moved to Queensland, Australia.  She completed her physician and specialty training in Respiratory and Sleep Medicine in 2011, including working at The Prince Charles Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Hospital.  Dr Williams has been working as a Respiratory and Sleep Physician in private practice since 2012 in Brisbane.  She also provided a regional service based in Gladstone for 10 years. 

Dr Williams is passionate about treating sleep disorders, both respiratory and non-respiratory conditions.  These include snoring, obstructive sleep apnoea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, parasomnias and hypersomnolence.  She believes in a very individualized and tailored treatment approach.  Dr Williams was one of the founders of the complex sleep case study meetings that started in Brisbane in 2015, and now are held across Australia, which brings together specialists and other health professionals from different disciplines.   

Dr Williams is available to see patients at the Wesley Medical Centre, please call 3371 0500 to book an appointment.

 

Dr Russell Goudge

Dr Russell Goudge

Dr Goudge is a consultant Respiratory and Sleep Physician with over 20
years experience in the management of a wide variety of respiratory and
sleep disorders. After graduating from the University of Melbourne in
1992, Dr Goudge began his medical career at the Austin hospital and he
continued this tertiary hospital association throughout his working life.
Dr Goudge has been in private practice in Bundoora for 18 years and has
a particular interest in asthma, COPD, interstitial lung diseases, chronic
cough, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and narcolepsy.

Dr Goudge has relocated to Hervey Bay, with available appointment, please call 07 4313 1170 to book.

 

Meet our admin team

Ashton

Ashton is highly organised, process driven person with an outgoing personality. Ashton has several years of experience as a Practice Manager where she creates new innovative procedures to streamline the business practices. In her spare time Ashton enjoys spending time with her young daughter and husband outdoors camping and fishing.

Gabrielle

Gabrielle is a fun loving and energetic team member, who has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things administration.  Gabrielle is known for her ability to get the job done.  In her spare time Gabrielle enjoys adventure in nature with her two young children.

Julie

Julie is our newest member of the team.  Julie is a quiet achiever, she prides herself attention to detail and her can do attitude.  Julie only started her medical administration career 5 years ago. When Julie is not at work she enjoys going for long rides on her Harley Davidson

carolyn

Carolyn

Carolyn is disciplined and hardworking, where her main focus is patient care. Carolyn is from the north of England and brings with her a wealth of knowledge, with a background in Human Resources along with previously working as a teacher aid. Carolyn enjoys various crafts including card making is her spare time, she is extremely talented.

karen

Karen

Karen an extremely devoted individual with a stellar background in scheduling appointments and performing administrative tasks. Karen is a self-motivated individual who ensures all tasks are completed to a high standard. In Karen’s spare time she enjoys going for walks with her dog and spending time with her children and grandchildren.