New eye clinic liaison officer suite opens at Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital

A specialist eye clinic liaison office has opened at Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital.

The suite, which offers people with sight impairments emotional support and practical advice, opened to patients last Tuesday (13 October).

It is situated close to the entrance of Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital, in order to make it as accessible as possible for patients.

The suite is run by Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and is the base for two RNIB-employed eye clinic liaison officers (ECLOs).

Simon Antrobus, RNIB’s chief executive, said: “For many people the experience of sight loss creates significant anxiety, uncertainty and can result in a loss of confidence about the future.

“That’s why we’re so delighted to have a superb new centre to house our fantastic ECLOs, who can be there for patients when they need them most.”

The ECLOs, Mary Hall and Jo Hewitson, are both registered severely sight impaired.

Hall said: “A diagnosis can be incredibly difficult. Patients can come to us and process the news they’ve been given and don’t have to feel they’re on their own.

“Having a patient come to us and afterwards say, ‘thank you so much, I think I’m going to be OK’, means so much.”

RNIB worked with South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust on the ECLO suite, assisting in design of signage and way finding.

Feedback from blind and partially sighted people also helped shape the wider hospital’s layout, signage, visibility and lighting, making it as accessible as possible for all patients.

The new ECLO suite at Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital

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Eye clinic liaison officers, Mary Hall (left) and Jo Hewitson (right), in the new ECLO room at Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital

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RNIB CEO Simon Antrobus meeting chief executive of the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, Ken Bremner, outside the new ECLO room

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The new ECLO room at Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital is prominently positioned next to the hospital entrance

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Carol Jobling, matron for ophthalmology at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The ECLO service makes a real difference to our patients. Alongside the clinical care we provide, patients have dedicated support to help them understand their diagnosis, talk through their concerns and find the practical help they need.

“Having this purpose-built space in our new hospital means that support is easy to find and there when patients need it.”

Antrobus added: “We now have ECLOs in every major NHS eye clinic in the UK and we want Sunderland to be the flagship for the service. Our hope is that other NHS Trusts will follow.”