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Health Education
The year-round efforts of the medical and nursing staff who as part of their normal
duties take every available opportunity of carrying out health education have again
been the most important factor in this field. Supporting activities centrally organised
have covered a very wide field and emphasis was again placed on home safety and
diphtheria immunisation which were the subject of intensive campaigns.
The home safety campaign was of a general nature and followed the lines of that
for previous years as described in an appendix to my report for 1956. As a central
focus and to impress on London's public the danger to life and limb from the hazards
that abound in their own homes, and especially those homes where there are young
children and elderly people, an exhibition was mounted in collaboration with the
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and with the co-operation of the London
Transport Executive in the booking hall at Charing Cross Underground Station.
Entitled 'Danger at Homeit was opened by the Rt. Hon. Herbert Morrison, M.P.,
on 28th October and remained open to the public for three weeks. Some 30,000 people
passed through during this time. The exhibition did not attempt to deal with every
possible cause of home accidents nor did it go into every detail of prevention but it
did draw attention in clear and simple fashion to the risks arising from the three most
numerous causes, falls, poisoning (including coal gas poisoning) and burns and scalds
so that its impact would be felt by people passing through the station in the very short
time at their disposal. Visits of longer duration were made by several school parties
and other organisations. Considerable interest was evinced by members and officers of
other local authorities who saw it. The exhibition was widely publicised by a striking
poster displayed on London underground railway stations and elsewhere. A spccial
leaflet dealing with the risks arising from falls, poisoning and burns and scalds was
distributed, with others appropriate. to a total of 58.500.
Home safety
The diphtheria immunisation campaign held during the two weeks commencing
4th February, was followed by a marked increase in primary injections.
Diphtheria
immunisation
During the year 134 film shows were arranged (the majority being tor educational
classes at maternity and child welfare centres) during which 270 films on health topics
were shown and 477 film strips were used from the library of film strips. A short film
made for the Council during 1956 to publicise B.C.G. vaccination was shown for one
week at each of 67 cinemas in London.
Films and
film strips
A second competition was held to stimulate the interest of health visitors and other
staff engaged in health education work in display techniques and to secure a flow of
suggestions for use in future teaching. 114 entries which included both posters and threedimensional
displays were submitted. The great variety of the entries, coupled with the
high standard of workmanship and ideas, made selection a difficult task and it was
decided to award two second and two third prizes of equal value in each case. A group
of health visitors from division 9 were awarded the first prize, second prizes were
awarded to staff in divisions 2 and 7, third prizes to staff in divisions 5 and 7, and commendations
were given to staff in divisions 2 (2) and 5 (2). All entries received in the
competition were later displayed for two days in County Hall so that officers of the
department should have an opportunity of studying them.
Staff
competition
Safety
handbook
During the year distribution continued of a safety handbook through the Council's
welfare centres, etc., and with the co-operation of other authorities and voluntary
organisations. More than 68,000 handbooks were distributed.
A wide range of health topics was covered during the year by talks given by health
visitors, school nurses and other qualified staff to schools, parents, parent/teacher
associations, community clubs, etc.
Increasing attention was given to this important subject and an illustrated leaflet in
the form of a guide to health was prepared which gave prominence to the connection
between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. Distribution to all leavers from the Council's
schools through its youth employment bureaux commenced at the end of the summer
term.
Cancer
education
83
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