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Use was made of the British Red Cross Society's shop window at Twickenham
for display purposes, highlighting various aspects of some of the above campaigns. My
thanks are due to Mrs. W. Burrington, Divisional Director of the British Red Cross
Society, for her help in this respect.
Anti-Smoking Campaign.
In October, 1966, the Minister of Health wrote to local authorities asking them
to use all their channels of health education to publicise the findings of the Royal
College of Physicians report on Smoking and Health and to bring home to the public
and to school children the dangers of smoking, particularly cigarette smoking. The
Minister hoped that local authorities would continue and increase their health education
on this subject.
It was decided that the month of November, 1967, should be devoted to an
"Anti-Smoking Campaign". A display of posters was arranged on public notice
boards throughout the Borough. Lectures were given and films shown in schools, and
I am indebted to the Chief Education Officer for his co-operation in this matter.
In addition, special mention must be made of the "Anti-Smoking Clinic" held at
the Kings Road Clinic, Richmond, from 13th—17th November, 1967, in conjunction
with the British Temperance Society. I would like to express my appreciation to Dr.
White and Mr. B. Kinman of the Society for giving up their valuable time, free of
charge to the Council, to come along and run the clinic on five successive evenings.
The press, as well as posters and leaflets distributed in local stores, were used to
publicise the event and 57 persons applied for registration. Out of these, 44 persons
attended the first night and a total of 35 persons actually completed the course and
attended on all five evenings. At the end of the course, the vast majority indicated
that they had stopped smoking since the clinic started, and one or two had managed to
considerably reduce their intake of cigarettes. It was planned to hold a re-union at
Kings Road in January, 1968, to enable an evaluation of the results of the Clinic to be
made and an exchange of views between the persons attending.
I would like to express my gratitude to Miss B. J. Butcher and Mr. P. R. Clark
of the Mass Radiography Service, who arranged special X-Ray sessions in the Borough
and also to Dr. C. O. Edwards of Kingston Hospital for his co-operation in providing
exhibits for the "Anti-Smoking Clinic".
General.
Talks are arranged for voluntary associations, parent and youth groups etc. and
these are invariably supported by films or slides. The health visitors are very active
in this field and group teaching is held by them during clinic sessions at welfare centres.
Ante-natal relaxation sessions held in association with parentcraft classes are taken by
health visitors and midwives. These take the form of a short talk followed by relaxation
exercises and finally a discussion. Midwives are concerned with ante-natal care
in the mother's home, at welfare centres and at family doctor clinics. (See page 28 —
health visiting).
During the year some 272 talks were given by the staff of the Health Department.
HOME HELP SERVICE
Staff
Home Help Organiser 1
Assistant Homo Help Organisers 2
Home Helps — Whole-time 9
— Part-time 104
(Whole-time equivalent) 65
Establishment 100
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