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A first step to keeping staff informed on the nature of educational
material was to have a notice board erected in the foyer of
the main offices. It is intended that on this board will be pinned
specimens of new posters, and that these should be changed at
reasonably frequent intervals.
A tall, glass-fronted cupboard has also been placed in the
foyer, and in this is displayed the current stock of educational
leaflets. All new leaflets will be displayed here, and stocks should
be kept as up-to-date as possible. Both posters and leaflets may be
an expensive item on the budget, and this is an added incentive to
use only the best material, and to keep it stored where it cannot
suffer damage. It is also an incentive to order materials which can be
obtained free. One example is posters on smoking. The Ministry of
Health now has a fairly wide range of effective posters on the dangers
of smoking - naturally these will be ordered in preference to posters
from other sources which may cost ls .6d. each.
Attention was given to various methods of displaying posters
and enquiries were made of British Bailways and London Transport
about hiring display space at Ilford Station and Gants Hill Underground.
The price was found to be quite reasonable, and since
February, health education posters have been displayed on these
stations. Both stations are used by many thousands of commuters
every day and the posters are seen by many of the population of the
Ilford area. The posters are changed every month. The subject for
display must obviously be topical. During the winter, home safety,
with particular emphasis on burns, was selected. In the summer and
autumn the subjects will include dental health, vacation hazards,
food hygiene and smoking. In the future it may be practicable to
integrate the poster campaign, and display the same poster in all
the clinics, on the stations and other sites at the same time.
There are other avenues for the distribution of health education
material which are being studied. The surgeries and waiting rooms of
family doctors are the obvious first choice. Finance permitting, it
may be possible to supply all general practitioners with supplies of
posters, leaflets and booklets for distribution to their patients.
Chemists are another possibility. People consult chemists about
minor ailments almost as frequently as they do family doctors, and
chemists are certain to be willing to offer space for the display of
material. This avenue will also be explored. Public libraries are yet
another possibility. Free bookmarks containing brief advice on
various aspects of health should be available at all libraries.