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An investigation by the City University London and the Royal National Institute of Blind People
The aim of this research is to determine if Eye Care Liaison Officers (ECLOs) make an improvement to the quality of life of the patients, reduce the time clinical staff spend with patients discussing rehabilitation and finally if ECLOs are cost effective.
City University London, UK, in association with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) are conducting an investigation into the effectiveness of Eye Care Liaison Officers (ECLOs) or equivalent personnel, who offer services to visually impaired people. ECLOs act as a bridge between clinical and social services, providing information about the patient’s eye condition, signposting to other sources of help and providing emotional support. The aim of this research is to determine if ECLOs make an improvement to the quality of life of the patients, reduce the time clinical staff spend with patients discussing rehabilitation and finally if ECLOs are cost effective.
Part of this study requires us to conduct an extensive literature review, including discussing if there are similar services to those provided by ECLOs in other countries which have a comparable public health care system to the National Health Service in Britain. In particular, we would like to find out answers to the following questions about the provisions for patients with low vision in your country:
We would very much appreciate any information you could give us in relation to these questions. Your participation in this study could make a valuable contribution to the support provided for visually impaired people and we hope that you will enjoy being involved in this important research. If you have any further queries or would like to find out more about the study, feel free to contact us using the details below.
Ms Hanna Gillespie-Gallery
Hanna.Gillespie-Gallery.1[at]city.ac.uk
Dr Ahalya Subramanian
Ahalya.Subramanian.1[at]city.ac.uk
Dr Miriam Conway
Miriam.Conway.1[at]city.ac.uk