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HEALTH EDUCATION AND HOME SAFETY
The general planning of health and home safety education in this Borough
is formulated by a Departmental Committee of the heads of each section and a
working party with representative Health Visitors, School and Home Nurses,
Day Nursery Matrons, Public Health Inspectors, etc. Thus all members of the
staff who are involved in health education at administrative or field levels are
enabled to participate in its basic organisation.
A programme of special projects included such subjects as infectious
diseases and immunisation; nuitrition; food, dental and personal hygiene; summer
and winter health and accident risks. These were supplemented from time to time
by publicity for various special clinics inaugurated by the Council and for
particular national or local campaigns. Large scale issues of posters and leaflets
were made to the Health Centres, Day Nurseries, the Area Health Offices, School
Treatment Centres, notice board display sites, General Practitioners and Pharmacists
in support of these various programmes, and where appropriate special
teaching sessions were arranged in individual centres and schools. The section
carries a stock of various visual aids which were in constant use for clinics,
mothers' clubs, schools and other groups; demonstrations of this equipment were
also held from time to time for the information of staff concerned. (See table 12).
Smoking
A long term national campaign on the health hazards of smoking organised
by the Health Education Council at the end of last year, continued throughout
1970. The second phase commenced with a wide coverage of full page press
advertisements which were later reproduced as posters for local support.
A small pilot survey was organised at the same time to test reactions of
school children to smoking. Approximately 200 boys and girls of an average age
of 15 years were invited to complete a questionnaire anonymously. According to
the replies 14 per cent of the female participants in girls' schools and 43 per
cent of the male subjects in boys' schools admitted to smoking. In mixed schools
however, the position was reversed with 27 per cent of the girls smoking and only
6 per cent of the boys. Several of the children commented that the current antismoking
posters were not sufficiently 'frightening'.
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