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(9) Home safety: prevention of accidents — first aid.
(10) Community health: prevention of spread of disea.se, immunisation,
vaccination.
(11) Local Authority Health Services: health clinics, the work of the
Health Department.
(12) Visit to welfare centre: baby bathing demonstration and film show:
visit to day nursery.
It is intended to expand health education activities in schools in its widest sense, which
includes education in personal relationships. The well-being of the community is largely influenced
by the quality of relationships between men and women. In one school Health Visitors work in
conjunction with a Marriage Guidance Councillor, and the overall aim is the promotion of community
health through the promotion of emotional maturity in the individual.
Health Visitors are also trying out some experimental schemes of health education in cooperation
with the teaching staff in junior school, and have started this year, at the special request
of the headmistress, a discussion group at the Leyton High School for Girls. The pupils wanted
an opportunity to talk about their personal problems. They would be too embarrassed to confront
the teachers with these as they work daily in close contact with the teaching staff.
(b) In Clinics
(i) Parentcraft and Relaxation Classes are available to all ante-natal patients, and
these are carried out in close liaison with general practitioners, domiciliary midwives and maternity
hospitals.
(ii) Mothers' Clubs. Many young mothers are very lonely, bored or even acutely
depressed due to being cooped up as housewives, often in very dismal and difficult home circumstances.
The Mothers' Clubs help them to make friendships and widen their outlook on life. One
club meets in the afternoon; it has a dual function — through the kind help of the Women's Voluntary
Service the children enjoy the companionship of other youngsters in the play group, while their
mothers under the guidance of a health visitor have talks, discussions and view health education
films.
Administration
On 1st April, 1965, administration carried on in eight different offices was brought to the
present Municipal Offices to form the new Health and Welfare Department. The new Department
employed nearly 1,200 employees and was responsible for over thirty premises including clinics,
day nurseries, welfare homes, training centres, etc.
Prior to the "appointed day" senior appointments to the staff of the Department had been
made and there had been meetings of these officers to plan the set-up of the new Department. The
administrative and clerical staff were split into two divisions, viz. Services Division and Management
Division.
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