About our service
Mike Ferguson provides the RNIB Eye Clinic Liaison Service for County Durham and Darlington.
Eye Clinic Liaison Officers (ECLO) offer a drop-in, on the day service; no appointment is needed. We offer information, practical advice and emotional support to all eye clinic patients, their families and carers. For patients who prefer to speak to us on the telephone, we can also provide remote support.
Being diagnosed with an eye condition can be incredibly distressing and have wide ranging effects on daily life. We are often the first point of referral for people living with sight loss, and we support patients dealing with the changes that sight loss has on their lives, whether they are newly diagnosed or are having ongoing treatment and monitoring. We aim to bridge the gap between the medical side of a patient's care with life outside the eye clinic, managing and navigating life in the community, at home, in school or work.
We provide a patient-led, informal service, focusing on the issues and challenges that matter to you so you can make informed choices about your life and the way forward. Frequent areas of concern for patients seen by the eye clinic liaison officers include:
- Understanding your eye condition
- Assisting with the processes of certification and registration
- Access to local support groups or recreational activities
- Developing or maintaining independence
- Aids and technology to make life easier
- Employment advice
- Advice and support for carers
- Benefits and concessions
- Education Advice and support for children/young people and parents
If we cannot help you directly, we are able to refer you on to the right agencies to support you further. We are an entry point to a wide range of services offered by RNIB but we also work closely with colleagues from across statutory, voluntary, charitable and education sectors, offering a range of sensory and non-sensory services.
How to access our services
You can be referred to the ECLO service by your hospital eye health professional, optician, GP, social services team, school SENDCo or other health specialist. You can also refer directly:
- Email: cddft.
eclo @nhs.net - Telephone: Mike Ferguson on 07740501158
Hours of service: 08:30am-4:30pm, Monday to Friday
During periods of planned or unplanned leave, RNIB still provide ECLO support, so please still contact us and our Locum ECLOs will support you. You can also access information via the RNIB Helpline: 0303 123 9999 or the following websites: www.