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34
HEALTH EDUCATION
Health education is a part, and an important part of
the work of every public health inspector, but it is generally
limited to advice given to separate individuals. During the year
a substantial effort has been made to promote health education
amongst groups of people. A comprehensive programme has
been devised covering Home Safety, the Work of the Public Health
Inspector, Nutrition, Diet, Food Hygiene, Food Sampling, Water
Supply, Infectious Disease, Old Age and Hygiene in the Home.
All the subjects are supported with visual lecture aids including
film strips, slides, photographs, etc.
Every Church Group and the several social and political
organisations in the borough have been notified of the lecture and
demonstration services available and an encouraging response has
been received. The average age of audiences has been relatively
high and an attempt has been made throughout the year to promote
Home Safety as the Department's principal theme.
The Women's Voluntary Services and the British Red Cross
Society have both included lectures and demonstrations from this
Department in their programmes and discussion groups in youth
organisations have been held under our leadership.
The year's activity in this field has reinforced the impression
for the need for education of the public in health matters,
particularly in the prevention of disease or accident. It has also
shown that the difficulty in securing an audience is still the primary
problem. When once a lecture or demonstration has been given
and some interest aroused there is no difficulty in arranging others
for the same group, but arranging the first meeting often involves a
lot of hard work.
We are fortunate in that Mr. Nicklin who is mainly responsible
for this aspect of the Department's activities has a particular
aptitude for the work, which is recognised not only in Hampstead
but by his colleagues throughout London. Early in the year he
gave a paper entitled "Techniques in Health Education" at the
Hampstead Town Hall to the Public Health Inspectors' Association,
which was also attended by Members of the Council and at which
the Mayor very kindly presided. He also took part in a joint paper
on "Health Education and Public Relations" delivered at an
inspectors week-end school at Clacton.