ANATOMY OF EXCELLENCE

- by Lo Tien Yen

Excellence is the operational word here. In terms of practice as well as service performance, NUS has shining examples to offer.

Take for instance, the Department of Anatomy. It has received an accolade from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) – the Annual Occupational Health Best Practices Excellence Award (Chemical Control Category) 2005 – for its high safety and health performance standards in its daily operations. This is the first time a department in NUS has been awarded this honour at the national level.

WINNING TEAM: From left: Dr George Yip (Chairman, Department of Anatomy Safety Committee); Associate Professor Samuel Tay, Deputy Head; Professor Ling Eng Ang, Head; and Mrs Ng Geok Lan, Principal Laboratory Officer.

As a result of the Award, NUS has also been invited to become a member of the Ministry’s Occupational Health Best Practices Club. Professor Ling Eng Ang, Head, Department of Anatomy, attributed the two awards to the commitment of both staff and students towards safety and health in the work place. “Safety and health are top priorities in the Department. I believe that with our staff and students working as a team, we will continue to excel in safety and health practices,” he said.

NO PROBLEM TOO TOUGH

On an individual basis, Ms Rashidah Binte Salleh, a Management Support Officer with Eusoff Hall since 1991, has shown excellent service. Rashidah’s name was recommended for the Public Service STAR Service Award 2005 when she received the NUS Quality Service Award 2004 from the Office of Quality Management. She emerged a winner. The Award rewards officers in the public service who have consistently demonstrated high standards of service excellence.

HAPPY TO SERVE: Ms Rashidah Binte Salleh wins with her never-say-die attitude.

Ms Rashidah attributed her winning to her willing-to-learn attitude and her belief that there is no problem too tough. She gave the example of starting an online newsletter for Eusoff Hall from scratch. “Writing reports, designing the newsletter and mounting it on the website was absolutely new to me. But I told myself that since I was given the task, I will learn to do it well. I attended a course, I asked for advice from staff and students... and I have since put out three issues of the newsletter already!”

She believes that her positive attitude also helps her give excellent service even to difficult customers. Her boss, Associate Professor Tan Tin Wee, Master of Eusoff Hall complimented Ms Rashidah for her resilience: “Everybody knows I am a hard taskmaster. I have exhausted many people who worked with me, but up till now, Rashidah is still holding up brilliantly!”