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The Samaritans
As a Health Department we are well aware that overt mental illness is only the tip of an iceberg which consists of
so-far undetected disease or the great mass of suffering in its many forms involving ordinary people faced with
the problems of living. We were therefore pleased to be able to assist a local group mainly representing the
churches in setting up an Enfield/Haringey branch of the Samaritans. This organisation, consisting of laypeople
skilled in the art of befriending, has proved to be of enormous value in this country and abroad in helping
people who are in despair or on the verge of suicide.
The Health Department was represented on the Initiating Committee by the Deputy Medical Officer of
Health and the Principal Medical Officer, Mental Health, together with an Area Officer from the Social
Services Department, and their opposite numbers from Enfield.
The Initiating Committee undertook its task with great enthusiasm and stimulated considerable public interest;
and the Mayors of both boroughs greatly encouraged it, each by their attendance at the inaugural public
meetings. By the end of the year the first group of volunteers had completed their training, the basic organisation
had been established and a permanent committee was being formed.
HEALTH EDUCATION
Miss Sheila M. Frost, Health Education Officer
Since the formation of the Borough in 1965 close links have been forged between the Health Education
Section, the various voluntary and Local Authority Services, and especially with the schools. Health Education
is now being recognised as an essential part of general education.
The Section has acted as a catalyst between the statutory and voluntary bodies within the Borough and has thus
been able to further health education. It is hoped that when the Local Authority Personal Health Services
become the responsibility of the new Area Health Authorities in April, 1974, these links will not be weakened
but improved.
Inter-Services Standing Committee on Youth and Working Party
The Health Education section still plays an active part in the working party of this Committee and was
responsible, together with assistance from the staff of the Teachers' Centre, for organising the Committee's
third symposium "Young People and Drugs", held at the Teachers' Centre in November 1972. During the morning
session Mr. T.D. Vaughan, Lecturer in Adolescent Development, University of London, lectured on "The
Adolescent in Society To-day", Dr. Philip Boyd, Director-in-Charge, Simmons House Adolescent Unit, spoke on
"The Problem and Management of Drug Abuse in Young People". At the afternoon session, Dr. Boyd joined a
Forum of local speakers in an "Any Questions" discussion, followed by a screening of the film "Better Dead".
The day's proceedings were chaired by Dr. James Hemming, Educational Psychologist.
The symposium was attended by 102 participants representing local hospitals, Education, Health and Social
Services, the Juvenile Bureau, Marriage Guidance Council and the Family Planning Association. A quarter of
those attending were teachers, including representatives from Enfield.
This type of inter-professional gathering is useful in making fresh contacts and leads to greater co-operation
between the various organisations thus furthering health education.
The Committee were also responsible for initiating a Youth Consultation Centre, which commenced in
January 1973 at Tottenham College of Technology.
"Welcome to Citizenship" Exhibition 1972
The main theme of the exhibition was "Man in his Environment" and the aim was to convey a forward looking
concept with emphasis through the displays of future policies, plans, trends and ideas for creating the environment
of tomorrow's citizen.
The Department's display depicted some aspects of the Borough's Health Services, with specific reference to
family planning facilities, maternal and child health, including school health relating to screening techniques for
hearing, eyesight and dentistry. The environmental services depicted the continuous surveillance of housing
conditions by the Public Health Inspectors with the programmes of clearance or rehabilitation of houses unfit
for human habitation.
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