View report page

30
A number of partially handicapped persons as well as the very elderly are
brought to the clinics by ambulance out with tne vast commitments of the ambulance
service it is difficult to dovetail visits to the clinics in such a way as not to
interfere with those patients receiving 'meals on wheels' . It may be, therefore,
that the limited use of domiciliary practice upon which the health services
in this area nave so far not embarked, would be of benefit. Experience in other
Boroughs suggests that this leads to an improvement in the recruitment of chiropodists.
HEALTH EDUCATION
As in previous years, a particular topic was selected for empnasis during
each montn of tne year, posters being displayed and leaflets distributed
appropriately.
A "Healthy Living" project was held in July with the co-operation of
head teacners and of the Inner London Education Authority. This included
talks to groups of school children; an exhibition in the Woodberry Down
Comprehensive Scnool on dental nealth; and a poster competition with prizes
in various age groups. Tne project was of necessity limited by the amount of
time available to the various memDers of the staff of the department, none of
whom was able to give as much as they would have wished owing to other commitments.
Twenty-seven talks were given in schools oy medical officers and four
oy nursing staff. Films on dental nealtn were shown in two schools.
The Health Education Panel continued to meet each montn during the year
to select appropriate display material including posters in the various fields
of health from the common cold to cervical cancer and to the dangers of lead
poisoning.
A.card in eight different languages produced by the Ministry of Health
and explaining the health services available to immigrants to this country was
distributed through the nealth centres.
In June a dental nealth exhibit was arranged at the annual field day in
Clissold Park.
Preliminary plans were laid in the latter part of the year for a "Dental
Health for Hackney" year in 1968.
During the year the Healtn Committee gave approval to the setting up of
a Sliiokers Advisory Clinic but it had not been possible to open the clinic by
the end of the year.
Lead Poisoning: In recent years there nave ueen cases of lead poisoning occurring
among children due to their sucking paintwurK containing lead or toys that have
been coated with lead paint. Most of the toys manufactured in this country have
lead-free paint, but it was known that some imported toys did have a certain
amount of lead in them. During the year the Toy (Safety) Regulations were issued
prohibiting the sale of any toy containing lead paint.
With regard to paintwork in houses, nearly all new paints are lead free, but
in some older houses it is possible that the paintwork might contain lead, old
putty and wall plaster also can contain a proportion of lead, and I regret to
report that a fatal case of lead poisoning occurred in Stone Newington in a
three year old child who was suspected of having eaten fragments of oldputty
and wall plaster.
The attention of the staff was also drawn to a circular letter from
the Minister of Health drawing attention to the dangers of contractinglead
poisoning through burning old battery casings.