NCBI Eye Clinic Liaison Officer
The Eye Clinic Liaison Officer ECLO service operates in the following Dublin hospitals: Mater University Hospital, Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, CHI at Temple Street, Crumlin Children’s Hospital as well as Cork University Hospital, Cork
The ECLO provides practical and emotional support to both patients and their families and aims to ensure patients are connected to supports within the community. The ECLO knows that timely access to interventions and support is vital as it maximises coping strategies, adjustment to changes in eye conditions, increases independence and improves quality of life. Early intervention to children with a vision impairment is particularly important to promote overall development. The role of the ECLO allows clinicians time to focus on diagnosis, treatment and medical follow up.
In a recent survey of patients engaged with the ELCO service:
- 80% of patients stated that before speaking with the ECLO they were not well informed about supports available to help people living with a vision impairment to live more independently.
- 88% of patients reported increased emotional wellbeing after contact with the ECLO.
- 83% stated that after contact with the ECLO they had a better understanding of their eye condition.
“The ECLO provided extra help and a signpost to practical services. I felt relieved as a mother to have someone who could point me in the right direction. It really took a lot of stress off my plate, we simply would not have found the information otherwise.”