Professional background
Caroline has been a palliative medicine consultant within the Camden, Islington ELiPSe and UCLH & HCA palliative care service since 2004, and was clinical lead of the service from 2007 until 2015.
Her areas of interest include the pharmacological management of neuropathic pain, symptom control and communication with teenagers and young adults, and the strategic development of end of life care in all settings.
Caroline qualified from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital London Medical School, completed general practice training followed by specialty training in palliative medicine in North London. In addition, she completed an MSc in pharmacology at King’s College London, and in 2004, obtained a PhD as a MRC clinical training fellow in which she explored the molecular mechanisms of neuropathic pain.
She is the clinical director of the End of Life Care Clinical Network for NHS England (London region). She was a trustee of Marie Curie from 2010 - 2017, EOLC lead for UCL Partners from 2014 - 2018 and clinical lead for the North Central London STP last phase of life programme from 2017-2020.
Specialties
Research interests
Pharmacological management of neuropathic pain, symptom control and communication with teenagers and young adult, strategic development of end of life care in all settings
Publications
Milestones: a mixed methods study of an educational intervention to improve care of the dying
Mooney M, Bright R, Vickerstaff V, Stirling LC, Yardley S
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 06 July 2020. doi: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2020-002212
Understanding care when cure is not likely for young adults who face cancer: a realist analysis of data from patients, families and healthcare professionals.
Kenten C, Ngwenya N, Gibson F, Flatley M, Jones L, Pearce S, Wong G, Black KM, Haig S, Hough R, Hurlow A, Stirling LC, Taylor RM, Tookman A, Whelan J.BMJ Open. 2019 Jan 28;9(1):e024397
"We just follow the patients' lead": Healthcare professional perspectives on the involvement of teenagers with cancer in decision making.
Day E, Jones L, Langner R, Stirling LC, Hough R, Bluebond-Langner M.Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2018 Mar;65(3).
Experiences and Preferences for End-of-Life Care for Young Adults with Cancer and Their Informal Carers: A Narrative Synthesis.
Ngwenya N, Kenten C, Jones L, Gibson F, Pearce S, Flatley M, Hough R, Stirling LC, Taylor RM, Wong G, Whelan J.J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2017 Jun;6(2):200-212.
Dying for a change: junior doctors and care of the dying patient.
Bennett F, Brodrick R, Stirling LC.Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2015 Jan;76(1):C6-9. doi: 10.12968/
Zhao J, Seereeram A, Nassar MA, Levato A, Pezet S, Hathaway G, Morenilla-Palao C, Stirling C, Fitzgerald M, McMahon SB, Rios M, Wood JN; London pain Consortium. Nociceptor-derived brain-derived neurotrophic factor regulates acute and inflammatory but not neuropathic pain. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2006 Mar;31(3):539-48.
Nassar MA, Levato A, Stirling LC, Wood JN, Neuropathic pain develops normally in mice lacking Nav1.7 and Nav1.8. Mol Pain. 2005 Aug 22;1:24
Stirling LC, Forlani G, Baker MD, Wood JN, Matthews EA, Dickenson AH, Nassar MA, Nociceptor-specific gene deletion using heterozygous NaV1.8-Cre recombinase mice. Pain 2005 Jan;113(1-2):27-36