Robin Downie was a consultant general surgeon in Liverpool. He was born on 2 May 1927 in Hightown, Merseyside, the son of a dentist. He was educated at Holmwood School, Formby, and Shrewsbury, where he excelled at sport. He then carried out his military service, during which time he took a six-month course in engineering at Manchester University, sponsored by the Royal Engineers. Once he left the Army, he entered Liverpool Medical School, qualifying in 1954. He was president of the medical students' society. He held junior posts in the Mersey region and it was at the Royal Southern Hospital that he met Dilys Edwards, a staff nurse, who was to become his wife. They married in 1958 and she was to offer great strength, encouragement and understanding during his busy and time-consuming clinical life. Following further surgical training, notably under Charles Wells, for whom he acted as an unofficial bag carrier as well as a senior registrar, he was appointed as a consultant surgeon to Walton Hospital, Liverpool, and Bootle Hospital in 1965. Following closure of the latter in 1974, he transferred those sessions to Fazakerley Hospital. Robin had a strong sense of duty combined with compassion. He was of a generation who understood the meaning of continuing patient care and this he pursued throughout his clinical life. This obviously restricted his private life on occasions, but was of great benefit to his patients. In the earlier part of his consultancy he developed an interest in gastroenterology and greatly helped Robin Walker to develop his gastrointestinal unit. This led to the development of the then newer techniques such as ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) and biliary stone extraction; much of this work was aided by advances in imaging technologies. His work often involved the surgery of complex gastrointestinal tract problems, many of these procedures being of a repeat nature. His dedicated aftercare often produced remarkable results in what appeared to be forlorn cases. For those patients whose illnesses did not offer the prospect of recovery, he set up palliative care on his surgical ward, at a time when the hospice movement was still in its relative infancy, demonstrating his holistic approach to surgical practice. As a surgical trainer, Robin offered both support and loyalty to his junior staff. Registrars and senior registrars were offered emergency and elective surgical procedures commensurate with their experience and ability, but, in return, were expected to offer the patients concerned detailed and personal aftercare. Those who failed to reach the required standard were left in no doubt as to the error of their ways. When compared with the modern situation of working time directives, with the inevitable effects on practical surgical experience and continuity of care, these times do indeed seem to be well in the past, in most cases. As one would expect, Robin was active in education and administration. He served as an RCS clinical tutor for many years and, in 1984, he was elected chairman of the then south Sefton medical executive. During this period, he was able to put in place the initial moves towards the amalgamation of Walton and Fazakerley hospitals, which, after his retirement, led eventually to the closure of Walton Hospital and the emergence of what is now Aintree University Hospital. In his later clinical years, Robin concentrated more on breast surgery and was able to set up a dedicated breast clinic, being supported by his wife, Dilys, who became a breast care sister. His long term quest was for a specialist palliative care ward, and this was duly realised at the time of his retirement in 1992, the unit being under the expert leadership of Gerard Corcoran. In his retirement, Robin's passion for dedicated palliative care continued and he was rewarded for his work in 1996 when the Woodlands Day Hospice was opened, followed by an in-patient facility in 2009. He served, in retirement, as chairman and then life president of the Woodlands Hospice Charitable Trust and was actively involved until the age of 80. His last years were sadly defined by a gradual deterioration in health, during which time he was ably cared for by Dilys. He died on 11 October 2013, aged 87, and was survived by his wife, three sons, a daughter and five grandchildren. His eldest son, Ian, is a consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon.