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67
HEALTH EDUCATION SERVICE
The Health Education Service continued to expand by offering further facilities to the
public.
Health Education is one of the most vital factors in the area of preventive medicine, it
has many facets which are presented to the public by most members of the department, particularly
those who are in the field. Its main features are the dissemination of information
about the health services and the important aspects of promoting mental and physical health,
particularly in an endeavour to change many "bad habits" such as smoking and over-eating,
which are taken for granted. It encourages support for "community action" clean air,
fluoridation etc., and "individual action", immunisation, cervical cytology, etc.
It should be remembered that knowledge alone has no value, it must be applied and backed
by action not only by the educator but by those who receive the information.
HEALTH EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS AND FURTHER EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENTS
More headteachers took advantage of the facilities offered to them in the form of
specialised films and talks on a number of health topics given by the Health Education Officer
and members of the nursing staff. In some schools Public Health Department staff became
virtually part of the school staff and thus enjoyed the particularly happy position of being
recognised as specialist visitors to the schools but at the same time a degree of acceptance
was created with the pupils which enabled a more spontaneous flow of questions and answers to
be given at the appropriate times.
The subjects covered a very wide spectrum and were directed towards living and enjoying
life to the full. The old ideas of sex education alone were superseded by courses on human
relationships. Whilst approaching the subject of reproduction other relative subjects were
also discussed, these included growth and development, diet and nutrition, venereal disease,
alcoholism and drugs, smoking, health hazards and the growth of social awareness.
The nursing service continued with its part of the health education programme by conducting
mothercraft classes.
Liaison with Holloway Prison was maintained and the Health Education Officer regularly
visited and gave talks on various health topics. Another link was forged with the Central
Y.M.C.A. who provided specific courses on "Citizenship and Integration into Working Life",
for young people. The Health Education Officer was asked to take an active part in these
courses, many of which were directed towards school children from Islington.
IEALTH EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL
The departmental Health Education Advisory Panel met every month under the chairmanship
of the Deputy Medical Officer of Health to examine new material and visual aids which were
published or produced and also to discuss ways in which health education could be furthered
in the Borough. In addition, monthly themes were selected for special projects and campaigns;
the topics covered during 1967 were:-
January - Fire Protection and Hypothermia
February - Smoking
March - Foot and Personal Hygiene
April - Food Hygiene and Storage