Why every hospital should have an eye clinic liaison officer

In 2001, RNIB produced a document called Patients Talking 2. A total of 200 people with sight loss, who were regular attendees at eye clinics throughout the UK, was interviewed. The findings indicated that eye clinic patients were leaving clinics feeling helpless, depressed, and unsupported. Why are ophthalmology patients treated differently from patients with other health problems? It would never be tolerated for patients to be told they had cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or a multitude of other conditions without follow up, either by providing information, support, counselling, or treatment of some kind. Yet daily this is exactly what happens to eye patients. Sight loss costs money. Without early intervention, accidents and hospitalisation are more likely; if rehabilitation is not offered in the early stages of sight loss, independence skills are lost. The ability to remain at home and self-caring is less likely culminating in the need for residential/nursing care. This can all be avoided by early identification of sight loss and addressing the difficulties that accompany it. The eye clinic liaison officer (ECLO) is the first important step in the direction of early identification of people with vision loss. The ECLO can provide emotional support, information, signposting, and referral. The ECLO is the bridge between health and social services, and is there for the benefit of the patient. Every hospital should have an eye clinic liaison officer and every social services department should be looking to joint-fund one. Every patient with sight loss needs to hope that his/her eye clinic employs one.