Partnership Between CHEC and the RNIB Results in a New Community ECLO Service

On 1 April 2022 the RNIB and Community Health and Eye Care (CHEC) announced a new strategic partnership to provide a dedicated Eye Care Liaison Officer service across 10 of CHEC’s community eye care centres. 

CHEC, is one of the largest providers of community-based ophthalmology services in the UK and the new Eye Care Liaison Officer service will ensure CHEC patients receive tailored practical and emotional support from when they receive a sight loss diagnosis.

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey caught up with Jon Dore, Chief Operating Officer at CHEC and Mike Harrison, Partnership and Developments Manager here at the RNIB to find out more about the new partnership and the new remote ECLO service. 

John began by giving Toby an outline to who CHEC are, their services within the community, why they wanted to partner with the RNIB to provide this new ECLO service and the type of support patients will receive from the new service too.

Mike then explained to Toby how the ECLO service has developed and expanded over the years in line with changes within the eye care service and new ways of working following on from the Covid pandemic, with a quick mention about the recent celebrations around the appointment of the 100th ECLO and some newly appointed ECLOs too. Mike also stated why the RNIB wanted to forge this partnership with CHEC on the new remote ECLO service and why it is so important for newly diagnosed patients to receive the support and advice from an Eye Care Liaison Officer whether that is at the eye hospital clinic or in the community like the service that CHEC is now providing.

If you would like to find out more about the role of an Eye Care Liaison Officer and how the role is supporting blind and partially sighted people whether that is in an eye clinic at your local eye hospital or out in the community then do visit the ECLO pages of the RNIB website via the following link - 
https://www.rnib.org.uk/advice/eye-health/who-does-what/eclo

(Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)