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Students from overseas, other parts of the United Kingdom and local
sources have visited the Croydon Home Help Service and the training flat.
They have discussed the value of the Home Help's work in the community
and commented on the possible future of the service in the light of the
Seebohm Report and the Green Paper on The Future Structure of the National
Health Service.
For detailed figures see Appendix page 116.
HEALTH EDUCATION AND HOME SAFETY
Miss D.S. Elliott, S.R.N., H.V. Cert., Dip. H.E.
Principal Health Education Officer
Throughout the world today health education is accepted as an integral
part, a vital component of all public health programmes. As a major approach
to gain the participation of people in bringing about immediate action or enduring
changes in personal and community health behaviour, it is now often
woven completely into the fabric of a programme.
A small incident illustrated this thesis during the year. Improved laboratory
facilities made it possible for more women to receive a cervical cytology
test. Various methods of publicising the extended service were adopted, including
in Taberner House, the displaying of posters and application forms in
all the ladies' rooms. A satisfying number of forms were returned, but on
inspection it was noticed that they came from groups of women in more senior
or responsible positions. None came from groups normally 'hard-to-reach' and
possibly at greater risk such as the domestic staff, some of whom have large
families. To find out more about their reluctance, arrangements were made with
their Supervisor for an informal discussion in the Health Education Section one
evening. Their reasons for inaction proved to be;—
(a) Ignorance
(b) Previous operation for hysterectomy
(c) Fear of being 'cut'
(d) Their husbands did not want them to have it
(e) Family planning - those taking the 'pill' being tested regularly at
the family planning clinic
(f) and basically - shyness.
Answers to questions and reassurance that the test would be carried out by a
married midwife resulted in eight of the group being tested. An important
factor with groups of this kind is that the means for action must follow persuasion
within a few days - before the conviction and impetus is lost.
Discussion Groups with Mothers
Another venture during the year was a series of six talks given by a health
education officer and designed especially for mothers assisting in playgroups.
They were given in co-operation with a pre-school playgroup and included such
topics as heredity, growth and development, play, home safety and sex education,