AGY-3305 | Health Education Division [NSW Health Department]

Full description

The Health Education Division of the NSW Health Department was created in 1966 when the Health Education Section of the Department was elevated to the status of a Division for which a Director was appointed. (1) The early work of the Division included undertaking Surveys to identify community health information needs and recommending programs to satisfy with these needs. (2) In 1967 the Division reported that its aim was 'to reduce illness and promote health, using approaches drawn from public health, education and the social sciences'. The Division continued to work in accordance with the health education plan which had been adopted in 1964. The work of the Health Education Committee, (a reorganisation of the former Departmental Publicity Committee) fell into five broad categories: (a) health education training-courses, conferences and seminars-for health workers
(b) community education programs on particular subjects, including drugs, mental health, nutrition, food hygiene, cancer, smoking, hydatid disease. Some programs were addressed to specific groups including adolescents, migrants, expectant mothers and parents
(c) health information services, such as the issue of press and radio material, production and distribution of publications, displays and film screenings
(d) research, including surveys of community attitudes and evaluation of the Division’s programs and
(e) public relations of the Commissions
(3) From 1973 until 1982 the Division operated within the Bureau of Environmental and Special Health Services of the NSW Health Commission. (4) The services of the Health Education Division were provided on a decentralised basis with health information and advice being available from the regional offices in addition to the central office.(5) From 1982 until 1986 the Division was responsible to the Secretary of the NSW Health Department but with the establishment of Area Health Services in 1986 health education was again offered on a decentralised basis. (7) Endnotes:
(1) Report of the Health Commission of NSW 1972/73, Annual Reports 1973/1974, vol. 2, p. 116
(2) Report of the Director General of Public Health 1967 Annual Reports 1968/1969, vol. 4, p. 133
(3) Report of the Director General of Public Health 1968, Annual Reports 1969/1970/71, vol. 7, p. 420
(4) Report of the Health Commission NSW 1972/73, Annual Reports 1973/1974, vol. 2, p. 67-68
(5) NSW Government Directory 1977/78, p. 136
(6) NSW Government Directory 1985, p. 220, Department of Health, Annual report1993/94 p. 10