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HEALTH EDUCATION
The activities of the Public Health Department in the
field of health education continued vigorously throughout
the year. Posters, pamphlets and bookmarks in great numbers
were displayed and distributed at the Town Hall, Public
Libraries, Child Welfare Centres and other suitable places.
Articles on health matters have been published in 'Camberwell
Calling', the Council's Diary of local events, which has a
wide distribution throughout the Borough. The Medical
Officer of Health and members of his staff gave frequent
talks at schools, clubs, women's organisations etc., in
the Borough. The subject of these talks included Clean
Air', 'Accidents in the Home', 'Food Hygiene', 'Rodent
Control', 'Insects and Medicine', and Public Health' .
They were supplemented by sound films, film strips, flannelgraphs
and other visual aids. It is unfortunate that talks
to clubs and similar organisations are not better attended,
but the interest shown in the subject is generally keen
and the talks are always followed by group discussions
which must be of value not only to the listeners, but to
the Department in its assessment of health educational
needs. Discussions conducted in the intimate atmosphere
of the small group, which lead to a lively interchange of
information and ideas, are, indeed, more rewarding than
the long and formal lecture. The emphasis has been, of
course, on the promotion of health of adolescents and young
adults. Talks to school children and young people are always
well received and the results are encouraging; but
this is still new ground which must be explored with care
and energy.
In particular, a series of talks given at a secondary
modern school was greatly appreciated and the interest
shown was demonstrated by the large and varied number of
questions asked by the pupils. Where talks are given to
schools these are often followed by visits to the Town Hall
and other Council buildings by parties of the school children,
which foster a better acquaintance with the work of a health
department and the help and service it can give to the
community.
Towards the end of the year talks were held with members
of the clergy with a view to setting up home and family
groups', the aim being to arrange for parents to participate
in a series of talks and discussions on matters concerning
the physical and mental health of their children. Arrangements
were made to launch a pilot scheme in the new year