Supporting people affected by sight loss
People from our local communities can access dedicated advice and guidance about their eye condition and resources for living with sight loss thanks to the free support we offer via our Eye Care Liaison Officer (ECLO).
The service came to life thanks to funding from a partnership between the Royal National Institute of Blind People and Barts Health.
Kate Kotschy, our dedicated ECLO at Whipps Cross, has been able to support 1,446 patients and carers and give advice to 442 professionals since we started running the service in September 2020.
As an ECLO, Kate has a vast knowledge about eye conditions, and can talk to people in the local communities about worries they have as well as giving advice on how to lessen the impact of sight loss on everyday life.
She is a vital bridge between health and social services and is invaluable in supporting the wellbeing of patients in the Eye Treatment Centre at Whipps Cross.
While Kate’s advice is predominantly focused around living well with sight loss, patients with a new diagnosis or that are having treatment, which can naturally bring up anxiety, can also get in touch with Kate.
“This service is so important to make sure that there is no diagnosis without not only practical, but also emotional support, for anyone affected by sight loss - being told that you are losing your sight can feel overwhelming.
I am passionate about giving people the tailored support that they need, at the time when they need it most”, said Kate.
Alongside sight loss and other eye conditions, Kate also provides advice to patients and their relatives/carers about
- welfare benefits they may be entitled to
- mental health and emotional wellbeing
- children's services and support in education settings
- employment - staying in work or finding work
- voluntary organisations and local support groups for people with sight loss
- the process of becoming registered as blind or partially sighted and the benefits of being registered.
Kate added:
“This dedicated service is a fantastic example of how a national charity and the NHS are working together to provide a valuable and effective service to individuals with sight problems”
“I felt like the world opened up for me”
Here’s some of the feedback that Kate has received about the service she provides:
“Knowing that there will be support put in place at my son's school, has really helped reassure me about his future. I feel a lot more relaxed about things after having contact with the ECLO.”
“After having contact with her, I felt like the world opened up for me, knowing that the support is there for me.”
“They've put me in touch with other services, RNIB have been in touch, I've been informed about Attendance Allowance for my mum, which we weren't even aware of. We received a catalogue, and my mum is now using a few aids to help with the vision. The information that we've been given has been very helpful, as we didn't even know that some of the things were available.”
“She gave me a lot of information which I wasn't fully aware of before I contacted with her, and I found her very informative.”