Geoffrey Charles MULLINS MBBS (Melb) FANZCA, FRCPC

29^th October 1943 - 19^th January 2025

• Director Paediatric Intensive Care Unit RCH 1976 – 1981. 
• Associate Director Paediatric Critical Care Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto Canada 1982. 
• Director of Anaesthesia Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Perth1991. 
• Specialist Anaesthetist with surgical teams on missions to many developing countries.

Geoff graduated as a medical student from the University of Melbourne in 1967.  He completed his anaesthesia training in Melbourne and then embarked on a career that combined paediatric anaesthesia and paediatric intensive care guided by John Stocks, Kester Brown and Geoff Barker. From the mid 1970’s Geoff held senior positions at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne and then later at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto where he was a consultant in ICU. He made extensive and pivotal contributions to both specialties, which were developing rapidly at that time.

Geoff returned to Perth in 1992 and took over the Directorship of the Department of Anaesthesia at the Princess Margaret Hospital and guided the re-development with a deft hand and in his own quiet way. Geoff provided specialist anaesthetic support to surgical teams on missions to many developing countries including East Timor.  He was also a second part examiner for FANZCA and was known for his clarity, fairness and understanding. He worked as a consultant anaesthetist in Warrnambool 1998-2002.

Geoff had a wide range of interests including his family, reading and a diverse range of sports and hobbies including all aspects of the outdoors with hiking, canoeing and winter sports.

Geoff was a true gentleman with a considerate nature and a friendly disposition. He was much respected and liked for his clinical knowledge, medical expertise and his compassion for his patients. His compassion extended to his colleagues and as medical registrar in Perth in the early 1970’s, he was known as “the resident’s resident” because of his detailed assessments of patients, clear instructions and support.

 At the RCH in Melbourne where he was Director of ICU, he was remembered as a charismatic anaesthetist who was an inspirational teacher, mentor and clinician who also became an intensive care specialist of great renown. He was compassionate and considerate of all staff at a time when not all consultants were “team players”. Geoff always had a smile, a man of action with a great sense of humour. He is sorely missed!

 (With thanks to Wally Thompson from the retired anaesthesia group in WA for his tribute to Geoff, and Warrick Butt from the RCH on which this information is based)