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"The Government should establish a strong Central Board in England and
Wales which would promote a climate of opinion generally favourable to health
education, develop 'blanket' programmes of education on selected priority subjects,
securing support from all possible national sources, commercial and voluntary as
well as medical and assist local authorities and other agencies in the conduct of
programmes locally. It would foster the training of specialist Health Educators;
promote the training in health education of doctors, nurses, teachers and dentists;
and evaluate the results achieved by health education."
The acceptance of the report announced by the Minister of Health to the House
(in February, 1966) was welcome indeed.
Workers in the field have long recognised the need for a confident approach to
health education based on professional expertise and reliable evaluation of results,
which the implementation of this report should go a long way to achieve.
Health Education Bulletin
Health education was organised in bi-monthly phases to coincide with seasonal
and topical matters in order to ensure the maximum educational impact. A single
sheet bulletin indicating the topics for current publicity was therefore produced and
distributed every two months, and the Department's activities were directed to these
topics during the appropriate periods with supporting publicity and educational
material.
Teaching of Health Education
Health education is undertaken by the professional and technical officers of
the Department on a personal basis in the course of their normal duties in their
respective spheres of specialty. This is perhaps the most effective method, but
these officers also give talks and take part in discussions and demonstrations to
various organisations or groups of interested persons.
These talks, numbering over 100 in all, have covered a wide variety of subjects
such as the work of the Health Department, the medical services, smoking and health,
food inspection and hygiene, safety in the home, and venereal diseases. Special
groups, such as senior school children, as recorded in the School Health Section
of this report, have received over 140 talks on suitable subjects, including mothercraft;
personal hygiene; dental hygiene; care of the hair, hands and feet; posture;
food hygiene; and smoking.
Mass Media
Substantial quantities of publicity material on a wide variety of topics have
been displayed as posters on public notice boards and in Council premises throughout
the Borough; and hand-bills, pamphlets, bookmarks, etc., have been distributed
through many avenues.
Attractive and informative displays have been regularly provided at clinics,
health establishments, waiting rooms and other suitable places, on health matters
of particular seasonal interest and significance.
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