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74
8
HEALTH EDUCATION
In the autumn a health education officer was appointed as the head of a health
education section consisting of an administrative officer and a technical assistant. The object
was to enable the department's health education programme to be expanded as it was
considered that the health education officer with no other commitments would be better
able to organise widely based activities and particularly those dealing with broad sectors of
the public. It was not considered that his efforts would replace the activities of those
members of the staff who already were conducting health education as a part of their
normal duties, notably the nursing staff (and particularly the health visitors) and the public
health inspectors. Indeed the intention was that he would support and augment these
activities and that they in their turn would play their part with his section in all projects of
wider scope.
It was decided that his first projects would be limited to conducting on the Council's
behalf the campaign for housing improvement sponsored by the Department of the
Environment and to mount a campaign against venereal disease. Preliminary work was being
undertaken on both projects and was well advanced at the end of the year. Otherwise he was
concerned for the time being only in a supportive role in connection with existing activities.
A grant was made to the Health Education Council of £356 for the year 1971/72 in
respect of that organisation's support and help and of £45 to the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Accidents (Home Safety Division).
From the beginning of the year an extensive health education programme had been
maintained based on the Health Centres and the School Health Service, the largest
percentage still being provided by the health visiting staff.
A programme of key subjects was again followed. This included the following:—
January — Hypothermia.
February — Immunisation — Especial emphasis on Rubella and
Measles vaccinations.
March — Personal Hygiene.
April — Nutrition; Obesity in the Elderly.
May — Cervical Cytology; Cancer Education.
June — Day Care of Children — Travelling with children.
Holidays. Water safety.
July — Dental Health.
August — Drug addiction. Safe storage of drugs.
September — Day Care of Children.
October — Care of the Handicapped and Aged (Mental Health
Week — 17th October). Hypothermia.
November — Child safety. Safe toys. Prevention of firework
accidents.
December — Home safety
The public health inspectors have taken their part in health education in the course
of their duties which bring them into contact with shopkeepers and foodhandlers and every
opportunity is taken of advising the management and staffs of the establishments they visit.
They also visit private dwellings and have widespread dealings with families and individual