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"Walking together in kindness" artwork produced for Gold Coast Health by Riki Salam, We are 27 Creative.
It’s the end of an era for our Gold Coast Public Health Unit (GCPHU).
Four staff with a cumulative 100 years’ experience have retired, leaving a significant legacy in public health.
The unit farewelled Communicable Disease CNC Fiona, Environmental Health Officer Gail, Data Officer Jacqueline and Administration Officer Kiwa.
Each has their own story in healthcare, all of which converge at the Gold Coast Health Public Health Unit, where they have each served more than 20 years.
Fiona worked in several fields of nursing, but new she found her calling working in communicable diseases.
She embraced the challenge of investigating disease outbreaks and following up on potential notifiable conditions such as Bat Lyssavirus, measles, meningococcal, and hepatitis A.
“I’ve gone from intensive care nursing to working with a team of nurses that service the whole community,” she said.
“I love that each day is different and interesting, but what has kept me around is the wonderful culture in public health.”
Gail also started her career as a nurse. She trained at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in 1981, but it wasn’t long before she sought a new challenge and moved into environmental health.
She had stints with Queensland Health, Brisbane City Council and six years in London with the Borough of Camden before returning to the GCPHU in 2006.
“The GCPHU is truly a platinum service,” she said.
“It’s a multidisciplinary team that works incredibly well together and really cares about protecting the community and getting the result right.”
Jacqueline, a former Health Promotion Officer turned data officer worked closely with epidemiologists to support health surveillance and immunisation programs.
Her role was critical in ensuring the team had the data they needed to act, particularly during outbreaks and immunisation follow-ups.
“I’ve always valued being part of the bigger picture in public health,” she said.
“Supporting the teams with data and surveillance has been incredibly rewarding, knowing that our work helps protect the community.
“It’s been a privilege to contribute to such important work and to collaborate with such a dedicated team.”
For 22 years, Kiwa was the friendly face and steady hand. From managing records to being the first point of contact for visitors and callers, Kiwa’s professionalism and kindness have left a lasting impression on everyone she has worked with.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure working with such a hardworking and supportive team,” she said.
“I’ve always felt proud to contribute to the unit’s mission of protecting the community–I’ve loved the journey, and I’ll always cherish the friendships and memories I’ve made here.”
Thank you for your service, Fiona, Gail, Jacqueline and Kiwa.
