RNIB’s Eye Care Liaison Officers are a gateway to support after diagnosis

Описание: In our video, we explain how, for more than 30 years, RNIB’s Eye Care Liaison Officers also known as ECLOs, have been supporting people after a sight loss diagnosis. ECLOs help where they’re needed – as well as patients, they support friends and family; they work with healthcare professionals too. ECLOs raise awareness of services and support available in the eye clinic and the wider community. By signposting or referring, an ECLO helps people get access to the services they need. Watch the video to find out more and call RNIB’s Helpline on 0303 123 9999 if you or a family member or friend with sight loss need support.

[Transcription:
Eshita, an RNIB ECLO, is accompanied by a guide dog, and greets Adrienne, a woman with sight loss, who begins to guide her.]

Voiceover:
For more than 30 years, RNIB’s Eye Care Liaison Officers also known as ECLOs, have been supporting people after a sight loss diagnosis. ECLOs help where they’re needed – as well as patients, they support friends and family and work with healthcare professionals too.

ECLOs empower patients by raising awareness of services and support available in the eye clinic and the wider community. By signposting or referring, an ECLO helps people get access to the services they need.

[Eshita speaks to camera.]

Eshita:
I am Eshita Unadkat, and I am an Eye Care Liaison Officer, popularly known as ECLO.

[Eshita sits and talks with Adrienne in the Low Vision Centre; her guide dog sits by her side.]

Eshita:
An ECLO is someone who is a bridge between health and social care sector and provides the practical and emotional support to anyone experiencing sight loss or has an eye condition during any part of their eye care journey.

[Eshita speaks to camera.]

Eshita:
ECLOs don't just support patients but they provide the same support to friends and families, parents of a child who's had a diagnosis of sight loss, as well as staff and clinicians in the hospital.

[Eshita shows Adrienne a small booklet. The booklet is an RNIB resource to help people with sight loss.]

VO:
Patients can contact RNIB’s Helpline to find their nearest ECLO. Most hospital trusts now have an ECLO, usually based in the Eye Clinic.

Eshita:
ECLOs support eye patients by referring them into their local sensory team if required, providing information about their local sight loss charities, providing information about benefits and concessions.

[Eshita speaks to camera.]

Eshita:
We talk to them about the process of Certificate of Vision Impairment and registration.

[Adrienne speaks to camera.]

Adrienne:
My name is Adrienne Bradshaw, I am registered Severely Sight Impaired and I am from Wimbledon.

[Eshita continues to speak to Adrienne in the Low Vision Centre.]

Adrienne:
The ECLO service made a massive difference to me.

[Adrienne speaks to camera.]

Adrienne:
If I think back to the state that I was in when I first encountered the ECLO service, I was in a very sad, very desperate place. A place where I was asking myself a lot of questions: “Where to from here? What does this mean? Who can help me? Am I going through this on my own?”

The ECLO answered all my questions, that person was calming, that person made me feel like they understood exactly what I was going through and gave me a direction on how I could actually get through it.

[Eshita shows Adrienne another booklet. It’s called: Emotional Support.]

VO:
You can see an ECLO at any point in your eye care journey, but, when you're offered Certification, you should be directed straight to an ECLO
to talk about support and next steps. If you're not offered one, just ask at the Eye Clinic.

[Eshita wears a headset at her desk and speaks to someone over the phone.]

VO:
ECLOs are also available for any questions by phone, acting as your main contact for hospital services and national support.

[Eshita speaks to camera.]

Eshita:
When people have had a diagnosis, they feel their independence has been taken away. But when they speak to an ECLO, they suddenly realise that a new world has opened up and they can retain their independence.

[Adrienne speaks to camera.]

Adrienne:
I would recommend the ECLO service to anybody that is on a sight loss journey, whether you're at the beginning of your journey or never dealt with an ECLO before, an ECLO is somebody you definitely need to speak to.

VO:
To check if your Eye Clinic or local area has an ECLO and what support is available call the RNIB’s Helpline on 0303 123 0999.]