Billie is a Professor of Midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives in the School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University.
Research Interests:
Billie’s research programme is concerned with real world research into the culture of midwifery and maternity care, how this has changed over time and how it influences workforce and user experiences. She is primarily interested in using social scientific approaches to investigate emotions and relationships within healthcare, and how these may affect inter-professional working, client and collegial support, communication and safety.
Billie currently holds Honorary Chairs at the University of Nottingham and University of Surrey.
Selected publications:
In press: Hunter B, Segrott J Renegotiating interprofessional boundaries in maternity care: implementing a clinical pathway for normal labour. Sociology of Health and Illness (anticipated publication date March 2014)
Hunter B, Warren L (2013) Investigating Resilience in Midwifery: Final Report. Cardiff University: Cardiff.
Odelius A., Allan H., Hunter B., Bryan K., Gallagher A., Knibb W. (2012) Reflecting on action research exploring informal complaints management by nurses and midwives in an NHS Trust: Transforming or maintaining the status quo? International Practice Development Journal 2(2) [8] pp 1-7
Hunter B (2011) Exploring emotion in midwifery work: a first person account. In Bryar R., Sinclair M. (Eds) Theory for Midwifery Practice 2nd edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Hunter B, Segrott J (2010) Using a clinical pathway to support normal birth: impact on practitioner roles and working practices. Birth 37 (3), 227-236
Hunter B (2010) Mapping the emotional terrain of midwifery: what can we see and what lies ahead? Int. J. Work Organisation and Emotion, Vol. 3, No. 3, 253-269
Deery R, Hunter B (2010) Emotion work and relationships in midwifery: enhancing or challenging? in Kirkham M (Ed) The Midwife-Woman Relationship 2nd edition Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Hunter B, Deery R (Eds) (2009) Emotions in Midwifery and Reproduction Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Hunter B (2009) Mixed messages: Midwives’ experiences of managing emotion in Hunter B Deery R (Eds) Emotions in Midwifery and Reproduction, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Hunter B, Berg M, Lundgren I, Olafsdottir O, Kirkham M (2008) Relationships: the hidden threads in the tapestry of maternity care. Guest Commentary, Midwifery 24, 132-137.
Hunter B, Segrott J (2008) Re-mapping client journeys and professional identities: A review of the literature on clinical pathways. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 45, 608-625
Hunter B, Smith P (2007) Emotional labour: Just another buzz word? Guest Editorial, International Journal of Nursing Studies. 44 (2007), 859-861
Hunter B (2006) The importance of reciprocity in relationships between community-based midwives and mothers. Midwifery, 22, 308-322
Hunter B (2005) Emotion work and boundary maintenance in hospital-based midwifery. Midwifery 21, 253-266
Hunter B, Deery R (2005) Building our knowledge about emotion work in midwifery: combining and comparing findings from two different research studies Evidence Based Midwifery 3 (1) 10-15
Hunter B (2004) The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Midwifery. Editorial, British Journal of Midwifery, October 2004 12 (10): 1-2
Hunter B (2004) Conflicting ideologies as a source of emotion work in midwifery. Midwifery 20, 261-272
Hunter B (2001) ‘Emotion work in midwifery: a review of current knowledge. Journal of Advanced Nursing 34 (4) 436-444.
Selected funding:
NISCHR Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Research Group. £4623 March 2014- Feb 2015. Research Development Group: Inter-professional team working on labour ward. (Co-investigator with Dr Alison Fiander PI, Dr Aled Jones, Dr Andrew Carsons-Stevens, Dr Lucie Warren)
Royal College of Midwives £10,000 September 2012 – March 2013. Investigating Resilience in Midwifery. (Lead Applicant: Billie Hunter)
National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare. £120,000 Contributing to an evidence base in workforce research. (PI Prof Danny Kelly with Prof Billie Hunter, Prof P Donnelly, Prof Z Radnor, Dr A. Jones, Dr A McDermott, C O’Brien, Dr S Pratt, and Dr D Watkins)
University of Surrey. £184,717 March 31st 2011 – March 30th 2014 RESPONSE: A collaborative research project to understand how (poor) communication by nurses and midwives contributes to complaints and to explore the role of clinical leadership in promoting effective communication for nurses and midwives in responding to informal complaints. Co-investigator with Prof Helen Allan and colleagues)
National Institute for Social Care and Health Research (NISCHR) Children and Young People’s Research Network. £2,283 1st December 2010 – 30th November 2011. Enhancing empathy in neonatal care practitioners (Lead Applicant: Billie Hunter, with co-applicants from Swansea University, Cardiff University, University of Central Lancashire, and clinicians from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board)
The Health Foundation £146,576. October 2004 – October 2006. A Policy Ethnography of the All Wales Clinical Pathway for Normal Labour. PI: Billie Hunter
Links to other websites:
School of Healthcare Sciences website: