Emeritus Consultants Biographies

Geoffery Newton THATCHER University of Cape Town MB ChB (Cape Town) 1955 FCP South Africa 1963 Consultant Physician

Geoffrey Thatcher was born in Cape Town in 1930, the son of Brian Wilfred Thatcher, a farmer and Marjorie (nee Myburg).  He received his early education in that city and went on to study medicine at Cape Town University where he graduated MB ChB in 1955.  Following resident appointments in South Africa, he went to London and worked as a resident at the Lambeth Hospital.

Returning to South Africa in 1957, he spent a year as a Registrar in Pathology at the Groote Schuur Hospital and then entered their registrar training program in General Medicine.  In 1963 he became a Fellow of the College of Physicians of South Africa.  1964 saw him in London at St Mary's Hospital as a C.J.Adams Scholar working with Professor Stanley Peart.  Clinically at that time, cadaver renal transplants were being done using lmuran for the first time.

Geoff Thatcher returned to the Groote Shuur Hospital in Cape town in 1965 to take up an appointment as Physician to the renal service and held this position until 1976.  During this time he developed a renal service which provided facilities for renal dialysis.  He was President of the South African Renal Society from 1974 to 1976 and was a highly respected renal physician.  In 1967 he was a member of the team which performed the first heart transplant.

In 1976 Geoffrey was appointed Physician with the Renal Unit at the Royal Perth Hospital and he came with his family to Australia.  During this time he has had a major role in the development of a full range of treatments for end stage renal failure in Western Australia, including community based dialysis.

He has had some 35 papers published dealing with renal disease, dialysis and, transplantation.

Geoffrey has a gentle personality and is an excellent team player.  This is an essential attribute for a member of a renal unit where a good relationship with colleagues and long term patients in renal failure is essential.  His smile never far from the surface endeared him to everyone.

In 1957 he married Joan Mc Farlane.  They have two sons and a daughter.

Outside of medicine Geoffrey is interested in bridge, golf and world travel.

On his retirement in November 1995 the Hospital Board of Management appointed Geoffrey Thatcher an Emeritus Consultant Physician.