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and human relationships and has been received enthusiastically by head teachers who welcome this very
important extension to girls' education. All girls' schools in the borough have been visited and without
exception have taken advantage of the facilities offered.
Health Education Assistant
A new health education assistant was appointed in July, 1972, when the previous post holder, who
had commenced in-service training of home helps in primary first aid and oral resuscitation, resigned to
take up an appointment with another authority. Many schools in the borough were given lectures on these
vital subjects and took an active interest in their promotion.
The present health education assistant is a highly-skilled design artist and silk screen printer and
devotes his time to the artistic presentation of ideas and the silk screen printing of a large number of
exhibits, etc. presented by the health education service. Much favourable comment has been made on
many of these items, quantities of which have been purchased by other local authorities.
GENERAL ACTIVITIES
These include the promotion of the various health education themes promoted on a monthly or
two-monthly basis, dependent on their topicality for a specific time of the year; displays are mounted at
permanent sites throughout the borough. Five windows in the Health Department building have animated
or static displays which are changed at approximately six-weekly intervals. Additionally, triptych and other
three-dimensional displays are set up at the maternity and child health centres in the borough and exhibits
are mounted in the foyers of the Town Hall and Finsbury Health Centre. It will be appreciated that much
time and effort go into the devising of new material.
A poster and leaflet campaign is promoted in conjunction with the themes presented. Commercial
poster sites are situated throughout the borough and tube station sites have also been acquired to promote
the free family planning scheme. Libraries, Baths, Housing Department offices, Registrars' offices and many
other outlets, including personal postcard advertising frames in sweetshops, etc., are utilised to promote
themes and are regularly serviced with posters and leaflets.
Two health education service vans carry publicity banner boards, and the postal franking machine
used by the department has a different health education message every month.
USE OF THE MASS MEDIA
The press is continually being used for advertising, feature articles and news items: the smoking
advisory clinic was featured in a half-page article in the Evening Standard, and the free family planning
service received much good publicity in many national newspapers in addition to being publicised on
radio and television. A number of professional journals included feature articles on services provided by
the department.
The health education staff have also contributed to Radio London programmes, one subject being
"Drugs and their Abuse".
SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES
Schools
The work in schools continues and it is pleasing to note that with the recruitment of the new assistant
health education officer, many new topics are being examined and more work in this vital area, as already
described, is being undertaken.
Teachers from many schools are being encouraged to take part in in-service training sessions which will
familiarise them with the media resources, i.e. films, slides, film strips, leaflets, posters, freely available
from the service.
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