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HEALTH EDUCATION
All members of staff concerned with health services are responsible
for education in health as part of their normal duties. Although
each makes only a small contribution the aggregate constitutes a
considerable volume of worko The Council appointed a part-time officer
to deal with the home safety aspect of this work and health visitors and
medical officers undertake formal and informal health educational
activity so far as other commitments will allow.
Progress has been made with this work during the year but in
the absence of an officer specifically Tesponsible for promoting health
education activities, this has necessarily depended upon the
initiative of individual members of the staff. Talks and discussion
groups have been given in schools, clinics and at many meetings of
organisations throughout the borough. Posters and pamphlets have been
distributed and films shown. Regular meetings of staff are held at which
new materials available are demonstrated and stimulus givenntfcothe
furtherance of this important work.
A health education group, consisting of representatives of the
medical, health visiting and teaching professions has been formed to
discuss methods which can be used and subjects which are most needed
to be dealt with. It is hoped in the not too distant future to have
the services of an officer specifically responsible for health education
work to provide a positive approach and direct and co-ordinate the
very considerable amount of work which is at present being carried on.
Of particular interest was the anti-smoking clinic which
was held towards the end of the yearu This was organised in association
with the British Temperance Society and was attended by approximately
100 people. The interest shown was enormous and illustrated the point
that has often been made that very many people would like to discontinue
smoking in the interests of their health but are unable to do so without
assistance. A follow-up showed that approximately a third of those
attending were able to discontinue the habit and of the remainder approximately
one half reported a reduction in the amount smoked. Many of those attending
said how much better their general health had been since they had given
up the habit. The lessons learned from this pilot scheme will be applied
and it is hoped to repeat the venture during the coming year.
In the older age group education in health can make a significant
contribution to health and well-being. Continued good health with
advancing years depends to a great extent upon persistant awareness of
those features of daily living necessary for its maintenance. In the
face of increasing disability this becomes more difficult and reminders
axe necessary if standards are to be maintained, tauch of the work in the
Advisory Centres for the Elderly which were started during the year consists
of health education, and health visitors when visiting are much concerned
with giving advice on hygiene, diet, home safety and the means of avoiding many
of the health hazards which beset the elderly„
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