John Coundley Doyle

John Coundley Doyle
Vascular Surgeon
17 June 1932 - 23 March 2015

John Doyle, former Director of Vascular Surgery at St Vincent's Public Hospital and Medical Director at St Vincent's Private has died, after a lifetime of exemplary service and outstanding leadership to both hospitals. I first met John in 1964 and over the 50 years since then he became in turn to me a teacher, mentor, close colleague and good friend.

John Coundley Doyle was born on 17 June 1932, the eldest of three siblings. His early education was at CBC St. Kilda, until moving to Xavier College in year 9. He matriculated in 1950, and was Captain of the School in that year, also playing in the First Eighteen and First Eleven. The following year he commenced medicine at the University of Melbourne, graduating with honours through the St Vincent's Clinical School in 1956, third in the year behind Henry Berger.

John commenced as a junior medical officer at St. Vincent's in 1957, working through the usual rotations, but particularly remembering his time with Professor John Hayden in the Professorial Medical Unit, and his rotation through the Charles Osborne Surgical Unit where he first came to know John Connell.

In 1959 John married Ann Considine in April and in August they moved to England where John commenced his surgical career. He won the Hallet Prize, first place in the Primary Examination of the FRCS, while studying at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, and then worked at the Essex County Hospital before completing his surgical training as surgical Registrar and Lecturer in the Professorial Surgical Unit at St. Mary's Hospital in London, under Professor W T Irvine, but also working with Mr Felix Eastcott, a pioneer vascular surgeon who had performed the first carotid reconstruction. His experience at St Mary's exposed John to over two years concentrated training in vascular surgery, a then emerging new specialty.

In 1964 John returned to Melbourne and St Vincent's, taking up a Hospital and Charities Fellowship in Vascular Surgery in the Connell Unit, practicing both general and vascular surgery. In late 1965 and early 1966 he joined Peter Ryan as a surgeon in the St Vincent's Hospital Team to South Vietnam. On his return he was appointed to Professor Dick Bennett's fledgling Department of Surgery as First Assistant and Senior Lecturer. He held this position until 1970 when he joined Des Hurley's Surgical Unit as Outpatient Surgeon, continuing in that position until the Vascular Surgery Unit was formed in 1980.

In 1977 a Vascular Outpatient Clinic with five inpatient beds was established, with John Connell, John Doyle and John Gurry appointed. On the formation of the Vascular Unit, John Connell became the Senior Surgeon. Following John Connell's retirement in 1987, John became the Senior Surgeon and Director, retiring as Director in 1994, and from St Vincent's Public in 1997. John was most influential and instrumental in setting up the Vascular Surgery Unit as a separate specialty from General Surgery, finally convincing an at times reluctant John Connell that this was the way forward. As Head of Unit he recognised, embraced and encouraged the emergence of endovascular surgery. He also introduced cervical plexus block anaesthesia in Carotid Endarterectomy in cooperation with Michael Davies and Keith Cronin from the Department of Anaesthesia, leading to a significant improvement in outcomes. .John published and presented a number of papers on various aspects of vascular disease and surgery during his career.

During his time at St Vincent's, John held many senior positions. At various stages he was Chairman of the Senior Medical Staff, Chairman of the Division of Surgery, Coordinator of Medical Graduate Education, Medical Service Director Special Surgery, a member and Chairman of the Electoral College, a member and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council, and importantly an inaugural Director of the newly incorporated Board of St Vincent's Public Hospital. His influence and leadership was considerable, as was his mentoring and teaching of students, residents and junior specialists.

As well as his work at St Vincent's Public, John was also in private practice, operating mainly at St Vincent's Private, the Mercy and St George's. In 1995 on John Clareborough's retirement John became part time Medical Director of St Vincent's Private Hospital, holding that position there and at the combined St Vincent's and Mercy Private Hospital until 2006. He was very influential in this role providing wise counsel, practical advice and principled leadership, and was highly regarded and respected by staff at every level.

A man of great integrity, very high personal standards, and compassion for the sick and underprivileged, John was widely read, particularly in biographies, the French Revolution, the Second World War and Winston Churchill, with a remarkable recollection for historical dates and facts. He was a conservative but very competent surgeon and excellent diagnostician in a field where conservatism paid. He was a kind and considerate doctor much admired by patients, families and nurses alike. Family values were most important, and together John and Ann were a great team

John had more than his share of medical problems in recent years, and indeed decades of chronic back and neck pain following earlier injuries. His stoicism and acceptance of his problems was quite remarkable. John died on 23 March, leaving Ann, his loving and devoted wife of 56 years, their four children and partners, and seven grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.

John F Gurry FRACS