Professor Hugh Pennington, the 2010 recipient of the REHIS Meritorious Endeavours in Environmental Health Award, was presented with a silver medal by Rod House the Institute’s President at the Institute’s 2010 Annual Award Ceremony in Edinburgh. On receipt of his award Prof. Pennington addressed the audience of award winners, their families and invited guests and told them that the award ‘…. makes me immensely proud. To be recognised in this way by REHIS, an organisation that has been at the forefront and front line of public health work in Scotland for well over a century, is a career highlight for me.’
Professor Pennington was Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen from 1979 to 2003 and is now Emeritus. In 1996-97 he chaired an Expert Group established by the Secretary of State for Scotland to make recommendations after the 1996 Central Scotland E.coli O157 outbreak and he chaired the Public Inquiry into the 2005 South Wales E.coli O157 outbreak which reported to the First Minister for Wales in 2009. Professor Pennington has enhanced Scotland’s international reputation as a leader in standards for environmental health and has served to inspire environmental health professionals across the country. This award recognises Professor Pennington’s contribution as a microbiologist to the protection of public health in Scotland over many years, his support of the Institute’s objectives and his support for the important role that the Environmental Health Profession plays in the improvement and protection of public health in Scotland. Professor Pennington is indeed a worthy recipient.
Tom Bell
Chief Executive
