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The assistance afforded by general practitioners, public health inspectors, midwives,
health visitors, district nurses and other workers who have occasion to visit homes is
particularly valuable. They are in a position to notice accident hazards at first hand and
to advise about remedying them. The housewife has come to have confidence in their
judgment in these respects and there is the more likelihood that their advice will be taken.
The importance of accident prevention in younger age groups was not forgotten.
A card warning the public to keep medicines out of the reach of children has been
supplied to pharmacists through the London Executive Council, whose good offices
were also available in the distribution of posters and leaflects to each general practitioner.
Two posters were selected by the Local Medical Committee for display by each general
practitioner, one dealing with accident risks to the aged, the other to children.
A film called Fiery Accidents provided by the Central Office of Information was
shown in 69 cinemas controlled by the Circuits Management Association, Ltd., and in
15 cinemas controlled by Essoldo Cinemas, Ltd., whilst slides dealing with the need to
guard fires were shown at 33 cinemas belonging to Associated British Cinemas, Ltd.
Both film and slides stressed the need to protect very young children against injury by
burning.
The education officer invited head teachers to co-operate by displaying posters and
distributing leaflets which it is hoped in this way will find their way into the hands of
parents and other relatives. The services of divisional staff were offered to head teachers
and as a result a number of lectures were given. A similar offer was made to Old People's
Welfare Committees. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents also undertook
to provide speakers where necessary.
Divisional medical officers were asked to arrange local displays, talks, etc., to display
posters, distribute leaflets and take whatever steps were possible to secure publicity for
the campaign, whilst arrangements were made for a display of posters to be arranged in
the main entrance to County Hall and for the Architect of the Council to mount a small
display in the window adapted for health education displays at the sub-office of Division
8 at 376 Brixton Road. A small display was also staged by the W. V.S. in the window
of their headquarters in Westminster.
It is difficult to assess the effectiveness of campaigns such as this, but in 1955 the
campaign week saw a reduction in the number of patients removed to hospital by the
London Ambulance Service because of home accidents of the order of 23 per cent., and
the succeeding two weeks a reduction of 23 per cent, and 17 per cent. A similar drop
occurred during the week of the 1956 campaign and in the following week but it was
not so marked as in the previous year and in the absence of further information it might
be unwise to regard it as having too great a significance.
As an additional means of focusing public attention on the problem the Council
during a period covering the campaign used for the first time envelopes for its correspondence
bearing a home safety slogan. This method of approach had previously been used
in connection with diphtheria immunisation and B.C.G. vaccination.
Proposed legislation
At the request of the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee provision
for the grant of powers for Metropolitan Borough Councils and the City Corporation
to conduct home safety propaganda have been included in a general powers Bill now
before Parliament*. The effect of this provision will be to give these authorities powers
concurrent with those of the Council as a local health authority to incur expenditure in
this field. There cannot be too many hands to undertake this important work and this
addition to the number of authorities able to undertake it may be welcomed. It is understood
that Home Safety Committees may be set up on the lines of the Road Safety
Committees which are already in existence.
*The Bill received royal assent on 31st July, 1957.
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