A CROSBY university professor has been recognised with an international award for her work on stroke research over the last decade.
Caroline Watkins, professor of stroke and older people’s care and director of research for the school of health at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), has been awarded the status of Fellow of the European Stroke Organisation (ESO).
Professor Watkins is the only nursing professor of stroke care in the UK, and leads one of the largest stroke care research teams in the country.
She has been working in stroke research for 20 years, with more than half of that time at UCLan.
During this time, she has led the development of the UK’s Stroke-Specific Education Framework, alongside Dr Michael Leathley, and is now working to gain funding for its use in Europe and beyond.
Following the award, Professor Watkins said: “It is a huge honour to receive such international recognition for our contribution to stroke care and research. This would not have been possible without the help of Dr Bernard Gibbon and UCLan, who have offered unwavering support and allowed my research team to grow from strength to strength. “We are truly committed to improving the quality of stroke care, and it is wonderful for this to be acknowledged by our colleagues. ”
Professor Watkins is one of only a limited number of nurses and allied health professionals to be awarded status of Fellow of the ESO, which is most typically given to medical colleagues.
As well as her research with UCLan, Professor Watkins has also set up INSPIRE with Professor Julie Bernhardt, from Australia, which works with senior stroke researchers across the world and aims to complement the work of the ESO.
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