Geoffrey Scarlett was born on 3 January 1928 in Sydney, the son of a businessman, Wilfred Lea Scarlett, and Constance Mary, née Tuttill. Educated at De La Salle College, Ashfield, Sydney and the University of Sydney Medical School, Scarlett qualified MB BS in 1951. During his career he held posts at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, and at the Marley District and the Queen Alexandra Hospitals, Portsmouth; he also worked at the Mona Vale District Hospital, Mona Vale. He was for a time tutor at the Sydney University Medical School and worked as a member of the Medico-Legal Associates of the Meleyn Corporation. He married Ursula Mary Keoch in 1953 and they had four sons and four daughters. He died on 12 October 1992.