Provision Of Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) Service

Wakefield Council and the Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group wish to jointly commission an ECLO service to support people of all ages, from birth onwards, who are resident in the Wakefield District and/or are registered with a GP practice within the Wakefield District, and who are experiencing significant sight loss/low vision or who have recently been certified as blind or partially sighted. This service is extended to carers and family members. This service will form part of a wider comprehensive range of services that meet the needs and outcomes of people with a visual impairment across Wakefield District, removes barriers, and promotes their independence and wellbeing.

The aims of The Service is to

• Support Wakefield Council to prevent, reduce and delay the need for care and support services for individuals experiencing sight loss.
• Provide professional, high quality information, advice and support services for people experiencing sight loss and their carers
• Provide early intervention in a person's sight loss journey at point of diagnosis, providing impartial non-medical advice, information, and practical and emotional support to individuals and their carers
• Provide timely access to community based support services by signposting and referral; including referral to appropriate Local Authority services
• Enable people to begin to adjust to significant sight loss and to provide direction which in the longer term will enable the maintenance of quality of life, control, choice and independence
• Make the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) registration process efficient, enabling service users to access benefits and services sooner
• Proactively promote the offer of The Service to citizens, professionals and other key agencies, including the third sector
• Enable service users and professionals to provide feedback and to participate in the development of The Service
• Inform Service users that they can re-engage The Service as and when they need support