Austin Tate
Medical director Priory Group (b 1942; q Birmingham 1964), died from thyroid cancer on
19 February 2006.
Austin Tate was born in 1942 and brought up in Shrewsbury. He qualified at Birmingham in 1964 and won the George Heaton
prize in 1966. He was engaged in general duties in the Royal Army Medical Corps
for three years before training in psychiatry at the Royal Victoria Hospital and Netley and Knowle Hospitals.
He was a consultant in Southampton between 1974 and 1983. He took leave from the NHS to work in Saudi Arabia at hospitals
in Riyadh and Jeddah.
In 1986 he opened the Priory Hospital in Southampton and became the medical director of the Priory Group.
Austin led with a twinkle in his eye, a sense of humour, and a command of what needed
to be done. His warm personality was rewarded by loyalty and respect.
He died of thyroid cancer, and at his memorial service the church
overflowed, a tribute to how much he was respected and loved.
He leaves a wife (Joan) and a son and two daughters from a
previous marriage. One daughter is a medical student at St George’s. [Brian Crossley, Philip Milln]