Barbara Stilwell

Who is Barbara Stilwell?

Barbara Stilwell FRCN is a British nurse, researcher and academic, currently based in the United States, who has held various high-level positions at the Geneva headquarters of the World Health Organization’s Human Resources Department.

A native of Liverpool, Dr Stilwell has worked with the Liverpool Associates for Tropical Health since September 2006. Before that, from 1998–2006, she worked with the WHO in health systems development, co-authoring the WHO’s 2006 Health Report, which was to collect and analyse data regarding the impact of migrants on health systems in developing countries. She was one of the first nurse practitioners in the UK, educated there and in the United States. She practised in underserved areas of Africa, Australasia and the Caribbean. From 1982-90 she had several appointments as a research fellow in nursing studies.

In 1991 she became a principal lecturer at the Institute of Advanced Nursing Education at the Royal College of Nursing. From 1995-97, as the RCN’s Programme Director, she advised at government level on health care issues. After a short time at the Expanded Programme for Immunisation at the WHO, she joined the Human Resources for Health Department in 1998.