MB ChB Manch 1959; FFA RCS Eng 1971; DA Eng 1964.
Vanner was born on 1 October 1933. He received his medical training at the University of Manchester and was house surgeon to Ancoats Hospital. Vanner was senior registrar at MRI and anaesthetist at Neurochirurgische Universitatsklinik, Cologne, Germany, before being appointed consultant anaesthetist to Preston Royal Infirmary.