Olney, who was born in 1950, received his medical education at Westminster Hospital, qualifying with the conjoint diploma and the London MB BS in 1973. After a year working in various surgical specialties in Australia, he completed his training in Yorkshire. He was tutor in accident and plastic surgery at Leeds General Infirmary where he later became senior registrar (accident and emergency). He then moved to Milton Keynes General Hospital where he was appointed consultant in the accident and emergency department, which post he held at the time of his premature death. An obituary in the *British Medical Journal* says that he was active in medicopolitics with a prominent role in reviewing acute services regionally. He was chairman of his local pastoral church council and a keen bridge player. He died in his sleep on 26 July 1995.