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13 HEALTH EDUCATION
Health Education, which is the Council's responsibility
under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act, is
part of the everyday work of all doctors, nurses, dental
officers, public health inspectors, and other staff of the
Health Division. To assist them by the provision of
material and expertise the Council have a Health
Education Section consisting of a Health Education
Officer, a Technician and an Assistant. Involvement with
this work however extends beyond the Council's Health
Services, and a Health Education Advisory Panel regularly
meets under the chairmanship of one of the Council's
Principal Medical Officers. It is attended by officers of
the Education Department and the Council's Road Safety,
Industrial Safety and Public Relations Sections. This
panel decides on future health education activity for the
Borough and how the various departments should give
support to each month's special campaign. The programme
of these for 1971 was as follows:-
January - Home Safety for small children *
February - Family Planning
March - Smoking
April - Venereal Disease
May - Importance of Play in Child
Development
June -
July Water Safety
- Clean Food
August
September - Immunisation
October - Mental Health
November - Dental Health
A particularly important field for health education is of
course in schools and this is carried out both by the
Health Education Officer and by certain specially trained
health visitors. The widely ranging syllabus includes
child development, sex education, venereal disease, and
hazards to health such as smoking and drugs. It also
includes advice on the care of feet and teeth and an outline
of the National Health Service. Such health education
is given in 15 of the 52 Primary Schools and in 12 of
the 34 Secondary Schools. I regard it as a most important
facet of the School Health Service and it is to be
regretted that the staffing position prevents extension of
the work to all schools in the Borough.
Other activities of note include in-service training to
Health and Social Services staff, and this year Dr. Mills,
Geriatrician at Central Middlesex Hospital, and Professor
Huntingford, Obstretician at St. Mary's Hospital, have
given lectures which were particularly appreciated. The
Health Education Section is active in the production of
special leaflets, for example a nutritional leaflet in three
languages, and also in the production of posters. In
connection with anti-smoking campaigns close liaison is
maintained with Central Middlesex Hospital and special
anti-smoking posters have been supplied to the hospital
for display there. In turn. Dr. Keith Ball, Cardiologist at
that hospital, spoke to students at Southall Technical
College on the dangers of smoking.
During the year a Servision Slide Projector was acquired.
This in appearance is similar to a television set but
shows slides with synchronized tape and is a most useful
piece of new equipment.