Professor of midwifery awarded national honour

Cardiff University Midwife, Professor Billie Hunter has received a national award from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), for her contribution to midwifery and maternity services.

Professor Hunter, a Professor of Midwifery at Cardiff University, has been awarded a RCM Fellowship*. The recognition is for her outstanding contribution to midwifery in areas such as the professional resilience of midwives and midwifery oral history. She received the award last week at the Royal College of Midwives, Zepherina Veitch Memorial Lecture in Leeds.

The RCM Fellowship recognises individuals who provide exceptional leadership and deliver innovation and excellence in practice, education or research in midwifery. The aim is to highlight and showcase work that improves care for women, babies and their families.

Alongside her UK work Professor Hunter also has an international reputation, and lectures across the globe. She is the Director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Midwifery in Europe, and holds a Visiting Chair at the universities of Nottingham and Surrey and the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia.

Professor Hunter has been a midwife since 1979, working in the NHS, the voluntary sector and in independent midwifery settings, before moving into education and research in 1996.

Professor Hunter, said: “I am delighted to receive this award and to become one of the RCM’s first fellows. It is a huge honour. I’d like to thank all colleagues and students who have supported the various projects that led to this accolade, and also to thank the many women and midwives who have contributed their insights to my research projects. I hope that I can use the Fellowship to carry on supporting midwives in their invaluable work and hence improve care for women, babies and families.”

Professor Lesley Page, President of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “Billie’s work in many areas has real impact on the care midwives deliver. In particular she has the value of emotional awareness in midwifery and the importance of ‘caring for the carer’. Her fascination with the history of midwifery has also highlighted the legacy, long history, and contribution midwives have made. I am delighted that she has been honoured with this award.”

*About the RCM Fellowship

The RCM Fellowship scheme is a new and enhanced membership category and honour from the RCM. It recognises individuals who provide exceptional leadership and deliver excellence in practice, education or research. RCM midwife members can apply to be considered for a fellowship and if successful, applicants can use the fellowship status to display their support for the RCM.

Becoming an RCM fellow is an opportunity for experienced midwife practitioners to showcase their experience and expertise and promote the profession of midwifery. The fellow will be eligible to use FRCM after their name and to join a network of FRCM alumni who will be invited to the annual RCM lecture as a VIP of the RCM. In addition there will be an electronic networking group for FRCMs as part of RCM i-learn or through RCM Extranet; this would enable them to share their expertise with like minded peers. All successful applicants will receive a certificate and a distinctive insignia.

For more information on the RCM Fellowship see https://www.rcm.org.uk/apply-for-rcm-fellowship.

To contact the RCM Press Office call 020 7312 3456, or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.