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Mothers' Clubs: These clubs encourage young mothers to continue attendances at
welfare clinics where they can meet informally and discuss problems in general terms.
The Health Education Section assisted in presenting suitable films for these programmes.
Displays: Several small displays were arranged during the year, including family
planning, nutrition and weight control which were used in various clinics and schools.
The display organised in 1970 as part of the London College of Printing Induction
Course for overseas students was repeated this year. A preliminary lecture given
to the students by a medical officer included advice on such subjects as suitable clothing,
nutrition, food hygiene, smoking, venereal disease and accident prevention which
were given special emphasis in the display.
Dental Hygiene: This subject has again been stressed in health education activities
particularly in regard to young children where the standard of dental health still
causes concern. The Dental Section designed an attractive birthday card which is sent
to all children on reaching the age of three years, to encourage them and their parents
in the proper care of the teeth.
Postal Franking: Health and accident prevention slogans are franked on the envelopes
of all outgoing mail. These include immunisation, dental and food hygiene, fire prevention
to which were added slogans on Well Women Clinics and Smoking and health.
Sex Education: The number of talks given in schools on various aspects of this subject
was higher than for any other subject. In most cases they were given as a series which
included personal hygiene, reproduction, birth control and sexually transmitted infections.
Home Safety: The Health Education Section devotes much of its activities to home
safety and the programme of projects includes an accident hazard appropriate to each
season. Special attention has been given to publicity on fire prevention, water safety,
and the safe disposal of old medicines and disused refrigerators; the latter had been
the cause of several fatal accidents to children in various parts of the country, and was
the subject of a special warning issued by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
at the end of 1970.
An analysis of the deaths of Southwark residents where an accident in the home
was either a primary or contributory cause of death is given in the following table.
Whilst the total figures show very little change from 1970, an appreciable increase will
be noted in the number of cases involving injuries from falls amongst the elderly.
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