Award for health officer

Hindmarsh Shire Council environmental health officer Gagandeep ‘Shelly’ Kaur has won major industry recognition.

Ms Kaur received a 2018 Young Environmental Health Professional Award at a Environmental Health Professional Association forum.

The annual award goes to a professional who displays excellence in the environmental health field.

Ms Kaur started working with Hindmarsh Shire Council in July 2017, moving from Brisbane to take up her first full-time environmental health officer position after graduating from the University of Queensland.

Hindmarsh Shire chief executive Greg Wood said the award reflected Ms Kaur’s dedication to environmental health and diligence to ensure the council was compliant with the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and Food Act 1984.

“Shelly is passionate about environmental health, constantly reaching out to the community to give information and assistance to ensure that everyone is educated and aware of their responsibilities,” he said. “Within Shelly’s first five months of working with the council, class one and two annual inspections increased from 77 percent to 88 percent.

“In 2018, this further increased to 98 percent.

“Shelly has also increased the turnaround time to action food complaints received from an average of five business days to one business day.”

Mr Wood said Ms Kaur had also helped with other roles.

“Shelly’s excellent work ethic, passion and commitment to her work and an all-round pleasant demeanour make her a worthy recipient of this award.”