Caroline Watkins

Caroline Watkins is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in health and care research and implementation. Currently serving at the University of Central Lancashire since January 2001, Caroline holds multiple leadership positions including IMPlementation and Capacity building Team (IMPaCT) Lead, Director of the Lancashire Applied Health Research Collaboration Hub (LARCH), and Professor of Stroke and Older People's Care within the Stroke Research Team. Additionally, Caroline contributes as the UK Implementation Lead for the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (NIHR ARC NWC) and has previously held roles such as Deputy Director and Director of the Lancashire Clinical Trials Unit (CTU). Caroline is also recognized as a Dame Commander of the Order of British Empire (DBE) for services to Nursing and Older People’s Care since January 2017, and serves as a Professorial Fellow in Stroke Care at Australian Catholic University. Caroline is a NIHR Senior Investigator Emeritus and has led numerous initiatives focused on capacity building and implementation in health research.