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THE HEALTH EDUCATION SERVICE
The purpose of the Health Education Service is to provide Borough residents with educational programmes
on personal, environmental and social health topics. In 1972 the main campaign activities highlighted specific
health and social services run by the Council so that the public could make even better use of them.
The programmes gave extensive coverage to Immunisation, Family Planning and Services for the Under
5's, using mobile exhibitions sited at Fulham Broadway, Hammersmith Town Hall, Bishops Park and a
number of schools and colleges. This was reinforced by articles in the press, lectures, demonstrations, film
shows, posters and leaflets.
As health education is a continuous process other supplementary "reminder" campaigns were being
conducted alongside the main exercises. Themes included Cervical Cytology, Mental Health, Water Safety,
Diabetes, Epilipsy, Food Hygiene and Social Drinking. The continuous Anti-Smoking Campaign brought
many callers to the Exhibition requesting further information and help to give up the habit. When the Council
decided to provide a completely free Family Planning Service the Family Planning Campaign was extended
and also accompanied by a Press conference.
Much emphasis was placed during the year on combating Sexually Transmitted Infections. Offices,
factories and public houses were encouraged to display notices publicising a telephone number which, when
dialled, automatically gave the caller information about venereal diseases and local clinic session times.
At the Hammersmith show the Health Education Exhibit and continuous film shows were visited by many
people of all ages and it is hoped that the event will be an even greater attraction in the forthcoming year. The
publication "Social Drinking and You" is now in its third edition and a new publication, "The Star of Good
Eating" produced in conjunction with the Borough Dietitian has been published to give information about
sensible diets. The quarterly Bulletin designed for multi-disciplinary interests in health teaching covers topical
health trends and developments and is now circulated to over 1,500 individuals and educational
establishments.
Organised groups visiting the "Design for Living" Exhibition at 2-6 Fulham Broadway have increased this
year; local students undertaking health project work have particularly made use of the audio-visual aids,
programmed learning material and appropriate displays on view at the Exhibition. Many schools, colleges
and societies from all parts of Britain have sent parties to the Exhibition and other attenders have included
overseas visitors on study courses in health education.
The continuing expansion and up-dating of the audio/visual library, means that project teachers in the
vicinity are now loaned additional tapes, film strips and overhead projection transparencies. Such new
equipment is also essential to further the work of professional staff concerned with teaching health subjects to
the community.
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