[Report 1971-1972] / School Medical Officer of Health, Reading County Borough.

  • Reading (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1972
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1971-1972] / School Medical Officer of Health, Reading County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    B.B.C . “Merry-go-Round” Series, they are then divided into groups of nine or ten. One group is led by the Health Visitor and the others by members of the teaching staif. They then discuss points either arising from the film or brought up by members of the group. It is to be hoped that development in Health Education in schools will con¬ tinue to progress until the aim of bringing it to all children is realised. The establishment of the joint Berkshire/Reading Health Education Unit, in September, 1972, will result in an increased and wider service being offered to schools. Mr. Myatt, head of the Unit, is himself a teacher and has already established close contacts with the Education Department: Mrs. M. Gallagher, assistant H.E. Adviser has been involved with school health education programmes for many years. Work in this field will be one of the units priorities, and the resources of the unit will be available to co-ordinate and support the work of all disciplines involved in school health education. School Dental Service Since the last report on the School Dental Service at the end of 1970, consider¬ able progress has been made. In September, 1971 a part-time Dental Health Education Officer was appointed to co-ordinate and extend the teaching of oral hygiene that had pre¬ viously been undertaken by the Dental Officers, Health Visitors and School Nurses. A year later the success of this side of the service and the demands by the schools made it necessary to extend the part-time post to a full-time one. During the year, a toothbrush, mug and a tube of toothpaste was supplied to every child in infant and primary schools. With the aid of films, posters, talks and demonstrations the children were taught the proper way to clean their teeth as well as sensible eating habits. Towards the end of the year Reading schools were challenged by the schools of Birmingham to a balloon race in the interests of promoting dental health. Any child who could produce signed evidence of dental fitness was eligible to take part. Of the several hundred competitors from both towns a pupil from Reading was declared the winner. This year by way of a return match Reading is challenging Birmingham to a treasure hunt. Birmingham is one of the more enlightened progressive towns when flouridc is added to the drinking water and therefore has an advantage over Reading which is going to become more pronounced each year.
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