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The Minister of Health announced the acceptance of the report of the Joint
Committee of the Central and Scottish Health Services Council under the Chairmanship
of Lord Cohen to the House in February. The prime recommendation of the
report, now quoted, has not yet been implemented.
"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."
Health education is the warp and woof of the work of a public health department
in its practice of the Science of preventive medicine. It is part of the day to day
activities of the professional and technical staff and also exists as an entity to be pursued
for its own sake.
The health education organiser provides the technical assistance and expertise
required to execute the various health education projects. In the field of publicity
we have enjoyed the co-operation of Mr. A. W. Bax, appointed by the Council in
February to the new post of Press and Publicity Officer.
Programme of Health Education
During the first six months of the year the programme was organised as last
year, on bi-monthly phases devoted to topical health subjects and the continued
issue of the Health Education Bulletins.
Bulletin 1. January and February Respiratory Diseases
2. March and April Dental Health, and Immunisation and
Vaccination
3. May and June Personal and Food Hygiene
In the latter half of the year coincident with the publication of the new quarterly
Civic Bulletin, the programme was re-arranged on a three-monthly basis. Edited
by the Press and Publicity Officer the Civic Bulletin not only publicised matters
relating to the Borough as a whole but devoted no less space to health education
than previously available in our bulletins.
Civic Bulletin 1. July to September Water Safety, Care of the Feet, Vaccination
and Immunisation
2. October to December Atmospheric pollution, Smoking and
Health, Home Safety, Fire Prevention
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