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HEALTH EDUCATION AND HOME SAFETY
In addition to the organisation of special campaigns and individual requirements
for teaching programmes at Maternal and Child Welfare Centres and Schools etc., a
schedule of monthly projects has been drawn up as the basis of activities of this
section. These projects include immunisation and infectious diseases, personal
hygiene and sex education, food hygiene, accident prevention, nutrition, dentalhealth
etc., and supplies of publicity and teaching material on these subjects were
sent out each month to all welfare centres, nurseries, area health offices and other
council establishments including public libraries, a number of general practitioners,
and where appropriate to old people's clubs and special clinics. Frequent requests are
also received from various clubs and organisations. Publicity is an important aid to
health education, but personal contact through health and welfare staffs is still one
of the most effective means of teaching health, and all sections of the staff are represented
on a departmental working party which meets each month to formulate and
co-ordinate health and safety education activities.
Dental Health: This subject is receiving particular attention in schools, and in addition
to talks, films and special demonstrations, a successful campaign was launched in the
summer when a mobile film van, kindly lent by the Oral Hygiene Service, visited a
number of schools during the lunch time break to show films in the play-grounds to
nearly 4,000 children.
School summer vacation: The programmes of films for groups of schoolchildren
during the school summer holidays, which proved so popular during the past two
years, was successfully repeated in 1967 with attendances totalling nearly 1,600.
Short films on health and safety, with entertainment items, were shown in welfare
centres on three days of each week during August, with a change of programme
each week.
Cervical Cytology: The number of Well Women Clinics was increased during the
year and considerable publicity was undertaken; original posters and leaflets were
designed and printed, and in addition to general distribution supplies were sent to
many of the larger firms employing staff of both sexes, as it was felt that husbands
could do much to persuade their wives to attend these clinics.
Mental Health: The theme for the 1967 Mental Health Week was recruitment of
staff for this service, but the fundamental purpose of these national campaigns is to
publicise the facilities for the rehabilitation, training, and welfare of persons suffering
from mental illness to enable them to achieve a useful purpose in the community.
During the Mental Health Week in June, the day and training centres and residential
hostels were open for public inspection, with photographic displays of the activities.
Family Planning: Following the coming into operation of the National Health
Service (Family Planning) Act, 1967, the Minister of Health requested local authorities
to review their family planning services and publicity in the light of the extended
powers conferred by the Act. The Family Planning Association was asked to act for
the time being as the Council's agents in providing clinics for advice, examination
and supply of appliances, and this was supported by sustained poster, leaflet and
press publicity.
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