Vernon Collins is widely believed to have done more for the development of paediatric medicine in Australia than any other person. He transformed the treatment of the sick child by bringing about a fundamental change in attitude to the needs of sick children and their parents. The base of this tremendous achievement was the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, and the rise in status of this institution to become one of the great paediatric hospitals of the world owes much to the vision and drive of Collins.

The critical point in his career was his appointment in 1949, to the new, and at the time revolutionary, post of full time Medical Director. From this power base he succeeded in profoundly changing the whole institution: its staffing, its standards of care, and its organisational framework. Above all by his example and administrative skill, he bred a whole new generation of paediatricians imbued with the Collins ideal that paediatrics had to concern itself with all the needs – physical, emotional, and social – of the whole child.

To be specific; he introduced sessional payment for medical staff, created positions for young paediatricians in training, re-organised the staffing of the medical units, introduced a modern medical records system, and brought about the appointment of full time Directors of Departments of Radiology, Psychiatry, Pathology and Anaesthesia. He introduced the practice of free visiting by parents (now so obviously desirable, but at the time so radical), insisted on high standards of communication with patients and parents (including, for example, detailed personal interview and follow up with bereaved parents); and he ensured that there were adequate play facilities in the grand new hospital, in the planning of which he played such a central role. All this achieved, he set about advancing the paediatric training of medical students, having become the first Professor of Child Health (later Paediatrics) at the University of Melbourne in 1960. Every Melbourne graduate since then has profited from the Collins approach to the teaching of paediatrics; that every aspect of childhood must be understood by the doctor dealing with children and that an understanding of development and of family relationships is of fundamental importance.

In addition to his departmental duties he served on the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) from 1960 to 1965, was Chairman of the Child Health Committee of the NHMRC from 1964, president of the Australian Paediatric Association (now the Australian College of Paediatrics) 1969 and 1970, and Chairman of the Board of Social Studies (University of Melbourne) from 1964 to 1969. He was honoured by the College in 1961, by admission to the Fellowship under Article 44, having been proposed by Dr. Clive Fitts. The Council Minutes of April 1961, record in this context:

'Dr. C.G. McDonald emphasised the importance of admitting to Fellowship under Article 44 only those who had achieved great distinction in medicine.'

He was born in Nhill, in country Victoria, of farming stock, went to school at Horsham High and was a school teacher for a short time before starting medicine. As a student he was in residence at Queens College (of which he later became a Fellow) and obtained honours in every subject in the course. He graduated in 1933, and after residency at the Royal Melbourne hospital he gained his MD and went to the Children's hospital (not yet Royal) in 1936, and became Medical Superintendent from 1937 to 1939. He spent the war years at the North Middlesex in London, having gained the MRCP and the DCH in 1940. Whilst in London he married the vivacious Irish nurse Josephine O'Shea. In 1946, he returned to Melbourne and commenced private practice, until in 1949, he took the momentous step of becoming Medical Director of the Children's hospital.

His appearance and personality were imposing. Physically he was very tall and well built, and whilst he had a great air of both charm and strength, his manner was characterised by gentleness, dignity, and courtesy. He was a good listener, and spoke only when he had a clear point to make, which he expressed in well modulated, polite, but very firm tones. His integrity was almost palpable and one could have no doubt that the shoddy or second rate would never be tolerated by him. The combination of imposing strength of purpose with gentle concern for children in the one personality was quite remarkable. In 1973, he became a Commander of the Order of the British Army.

All who visited him in his last years must have experienced two conflicting emotions: the pathos of witnessing such a fine man, mind intact, struggling with progressive neurological impairment, but also the inspiration of a master spirit rising superior to every physical burden. He died on Easter Sunday 1978, in his own home in sight of his beloved garden, surrounded by the love of his devoted wife and his two sons, Kevin (FRACP) and Donald.