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HEALTH EDUCATION
The policy, initiated in 1965, of concentrating on courses and in-service
training rather than on providing large numbers of sporadic talks was continued
in 1966.
Expansion of the service was not possible until the full establishment of
staff was available in August, but by the end of the year under review considerable
progress was being made, particularly with health education in schools and
in-service training. It is obvious that the latter must become one of the
principal duties of the section as it will never be possible for the health
department in general to provide all the health teaching necessary for the
borough. Advice, instruction, equipment, literature and information will be
freely available if required, but a considerable amount of the actual teaching
of the public will have to be carried out by teachers, health visitors, youth
leaders and others in contact with them.
Health Education in Schools
Assistance was given to ten schools during the year, each programme being
tailored to the individual requirements of the head teacher and staff. In some
cases the assistance was limited to a few talks and a supply of visual aids and
literature. In others, regular weekly lectures were given. Probably the most
satisfying aspect of this work was the sense of complete integration of the
health education programme into the general syllabus of many of the schools where
health topics became part of the normal curriculum and undue emphasis on such
controversial matters as sex education and the use and abuse of drugs was
avoided. In one school a parent/teacher association meeting was addressed by a
panel comprising some members of the teaching staff and representatives of the
school health service and the health education section.
In-Service Training
A seminar on child development held in the Small Hall, Barking, was attended
by about 80 representatives from the health and education departments of our own
and adjoining boroughs. It proved very successful and may well set the pattern
for future discussions on topics of mutual interest.
Talks on health education and demonstrations of equipment were given to the
staffs of three schools, and an exhibition was also provided at a course organised
by the education department for young teachers. An excellent liaison exists
between the staffs of the two departments, and as a result a series of weekly
lectures in health education for Post-Graduate Certificate of Education students
was run in the autumn term.
Requests from teachers for a course on the use of visual aids were also
received, and by the end of 1966 arrangements had been made for this to commence
in the new year.
So far as health department staff were concerned, in addition to the
seminar, demonstrations of equipment for health visitors were arranged and five
film shows provided. The latter enabled the medical, nursing and mental health
staffs to see and discuss recently released films.
The matron of a local hospital requested a series of talks on public health
matters for her final year students, and these were provided.
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