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Monday 13 December 2021

A former England rugby star is now helping try to save lives in the Emergency Department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Having won almost everything there is to win in the Women’s game during a trophy-laden career, Dr Karen Jones, 43, is now working as an Emergency Medicine Consultant helping tackle emergency health problems in A&E.

Despite swapping her scrum cap for her stethoscope, Karen hasn’t cut her ties with the sport as she continues to work part-time as the Club Doctor for Premiership Rugby side, Gloucester.

The former back-row joined Worcestershire Royal Hospital in July to be closer to home and because of the exciting plans for a brand-new, expanded Emergency Department at the hospital, which is expected to open before the end of next year.

“I feel lucky to be part of the team at Worcestershire Royal. It’s a challenging time to start somewhere new but I feel very fortunate to work alongside such a lovely, caring medical and nursing team who work so hard and really care about their patients”, said Karen.

With a history of sporting excellence, Karen is no regular NHS Consultant. Alongside studying for her Medical Degree at the University of Oxford, Karen twice competed in The Boat Race for Oxford against Cambridge.

After finding rugby later in her studies, Karen fell in love with the game and quickly rose through the ranks of her University teams before eventually playing in the prestigious Varsity Match against Cambridge three consecutive times, including captaining the winning side in 2001.

“I was a rower initially, I started that when I first went to Oxford and did The Boat Race in ‘98 and ‘99. Then I decided I wanted to try a different sport so I took up rugby. I went across with not much knowledge of rugby but I was fortunate to be taken under the wing of a few of the more experienced players who got me up to speed quite quickly and I ended up being involved in three Varsity matches in 2000, 2001, and 2002.”

Having graduated from Oxford University and begun her NHS medical career, Karen took her rugby career to the next level, receiving a call-up to play for England in 2004 after good form at her club, Richmond.

Karen went on to feature for England 32 times, including a number of games as captain of the national side. Her international caps took her all around the world to games in New Zealand, Canada, and Italy among many others, including winning the Women’s Nations Cup trophy in 2008 and three consecutive Six Nations Championship triumphs from 2008 to 2010.

While working as an Emergency Medicine Registrar, Karen joined local Premiership outfit Worcester Ladies in 2009. During her time at the club, she even became player/doctor for the side, using her medical training to help patch up her injured teammates.

“I’ve stitched up lots of my teammates in many different places and there were lots of dislocations I’ve put back in”, explained Karen.

In 2013 Karen was named club captain and went on to lift the Women’s Premiership title for Worcester – becoming the first club outside of London to achieve this.

Having captained the Varsity winning side at Oxford, the Premiership title-winning team at Worcester, and the Nations Cup-winning side with England, Karen had achieved almost everything in the women’s game, and so finally hung up her boots in 2014.

After her retirement from playing Karen became a Consultant in Emergency Medicine, but continued her medical involvement with Worcester rugby, taking on the role of Club Doctor for the men’s Premiership team, Worcester Warriors follower her Masters Degrees in Sports Emergency Medicine.

In 2019 Karen moved teams to join Gloucester Rugby as Club Doctor alongside her work as an A&E Consultant. In her rugby role, Karen can often be seen running onto the pitch, first on the scene to treat some of the biggest stars of the men’s game including England international Jonny May as well as British and Irish Lions stars, Louis Rees-Zammit and Chris Harris.

“I run an injury clinic and deal with everything from coughs and colds through to major injuries, mental health or anything that comes up with the club really. I’ve built up a good relationship with the players which is part of what I enjoy”, said Karen.

Now in her third season at Gloucester Rugby, Karen added: “I do miss playing, but that’s partly why I’ve ended up in men’s sport instead of women’s, as if I was sitting on the side of women’s pitch I’d be too keen to get involved!”

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Karen has been helping treat patients with suspected Covid coming to the Emergency Department, while also developing the Covid safety protocols for the Premiership club as Covid Medical Lead.

“I was the Covid Medical Lead for the club. We all went back into full-time training during the first lockdown, so it was interesting getting back in and travelling abroad for games when no one else was really travelling.”

Now settled in at Worcestershire Royal, Karen is pleased to finally be working at her local hospital.

“I’ve lived in Worcester for a long time so it’s great to be working at my local hospital, and it’s an exciting time to join with the plans for the new, expanded department in the near future.”

Karen praised by England rugby legend and World Cup winner, Maggie Alphonsi MBE 

Thank you @premrugby for shining a spotlight on my former England teammate Karen Jones. I don’t know many international players who are able to balance playing commitments with being a doctor. Truly impressive! https://t.co/Yszf4jVO3K

— Maggie Alphonsi MBE (@MaggieAlphonsi) March 25, 2021