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for a short period and a home help is sent into the home to act as a temporary
mother substitute. In providing this service the necessity for taking
children into temporary care is often avoided.
The number of home helps employed rose from 423 (equivalent whole-time)
in 1967 to 442 in 1968.
HEALTH EDUCATION
A Health Education Panel met at regular intervals to plan a balanced
health education programme for the Borough. As in previous years, a particular
topic was selected for emphasis during each month of the year. Examples
of the topics were health of the feet, sleep and exercise, preparation for
school and safe toys. Posters were displayed at health centres and leaflets
distributed appropriately. To assist in the routine propaganda, over 60
general practitioners have agreed to display posters on health matters in
their surgeries. The highlight of the year was the Healthy teeth for Hackney"
campaign, details of which are to be found on page 53.
Some of the larger food manufacturers and ancilliary trades are becoming
more hygiene minded and requests were made to the Department for guidance in
the health education of their food handling staff. Short courses of lectures
were held at which advice was given on the most effective methods to adopt
to avoid the possibility of cross infection and contamination and why it is
necessary to employ these methods.
SMOKERS ADVISORY CLINIC
In April, the Council set up a Smokers Advisory Clinic on Thursday evenings
at Shoreditch Health Centre. A special poster was designed and leaflets distributed
through the libraries and other establishments. The clinic was also
advertised in the local papers. The general medical practitioners were advised
of the clinic and several patients were referred to the clinic from that source.
The clinic was started by a Consultant Physician from the Brompton
Hospital, and on his resignation it was continued by one of the Principal
Medical Officers of the Department.
A survey of the cases attending the clinic during its first year was
carried out and the results are set out in the following paragraphs.
The procedure is for each patient to have an interview with the doctor
no group therapy is undertaken. The patients are expected to come for several
sessions but it was found that 56% came on only one occasion.
Age distribution Males Females
15-20 2 1
21 - 30 11 11
31 - 40 8 11
41 - 50 21 18
51-60 8 4
60 plus 10
N. K. 1 -
61 45
A total of 189 attendances were made by the 106 patients. It is
interesting to note that 42% of the patients were women and that in the age
range of 31-40 more women attended than men.
The number of occasions on which the patients attended was disappointing
as the following table shows:-