Vision Series – Episode 5: ECLO – Eye Clinic Liaison Officer
The final episode of NCBI’s Vision Series Informational videos is released and it focuses on our ECLO – Eye Clinic Liaison Officer service which are based in acute hospital settings. This video demonstrates the value of supporting patients from the point of diagnosis onwards and by working in partnership with the consultant ophthalmologists, a comprehensive wrap around support is available.
June Tinsley, NCBI Head of Advocacy and Communications said: “Often when a person is diagnosed with a sight loss condition, it is overwhelming and confusing. That’s where ECLOs step in. They are there at the point of diagnosis to listen, explain and reassure people dealing with their sight loss and to connect them with essential community-based services offered by NCBI, Fighting Blindness, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and Child Vision to get any emotional, practical and technological support they require.”
This service started in 2019 and NCBI has two ECLOs employed to cover patient support in four Dublin hospitals – The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear, CHI at Temple Street, Crumlin Children’s Hospital and Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.
NCBI is keen to see this service available in other acute hospitals around Ireland in the near future and is proactively in dialogue with the HSE to make this a reality as all patients, irrespective of where they live, should have access to this vital support.
This series of videos, kindly sponsored by Novartis, is an ideal way to enhance understanding of how NCBI services can support individuals, families, and professionals who work with people who are blind or vision impaired.
The videos so far span the following themes:
- Guide for Optometrists
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- Neurological Vision Impairment (sight loss arising from a stroke)
- Independent Safe Travel for Children and Young People
- ECLO – Eye Clinic Liaison Officer
All videos will be available on the NCBI YouTube channel, while the new video, ECLO – Eye Clinic Liaison Officer, is available here:
NCBI is the national sight loss organization, working for people with sight loss.
We provide practical and emotional support, rehabilitation services, and other training designed to help people with sight loss live independently and confidently.
Services Offered:
- Rehabilitation training, including independent living skills and mobility training, and availability of low vision solutions such as magnifiers or other aids.
- Assistive technology advice and training to learn how to access all accessibility features in mainstream technology as well as the latest gadgets and apps all designed to assist people living with sight loss.
- Advice and information on statutory entitlements, eye conditions, support available, etc.
- Emotional support and counselling for people struggling to come to terms with sight loss.
- Library offering an extensive range of digital, large print, Braille, and audiobooks.
- ELCO or The Eye Clinic Liaison Officer service provides practical and emotional support to both patients and their families at the point of diagnosis operating out of the Mater University Hospital, Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, CHI at Temple Street, and Crumlin Children’s Hospital.
- NCBI Resource Centres provide day opportunities to service users, these Resource Centres are located in Dublin and Wexford.
- Employment advice for job seekers and employers to maximize the recruitment and retention of staff who are blind or vision impaired.
