Nuffield Health Taunton Hospital worker providing medical support at Commonwealth Games

29 July 2022

Nuffield Health Taunton Hospital’s Senior Theatre Practitioner, Jo Webster, has been appointed by the Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) as an official medical support volunteer.

This role will see health care professionals carry out immediate treatment as and when necessary throughout the games. Jo, who has 32 years’ experience in healthcare, saw it as a great opportunity to support the games and said she was excited to be part of something so big.

Jo was one of 41,385 applicants – a testament to people’s desire to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  In September 2021, 21,770 potential candidates were interviewed. Eventually, 14,075 candidates were onboarded and allocated specifically tailored roles which drew on their strongest abilities and interests. 

Jo was appointed as medical support in the Commonwealth Games Athletes Village, based at The University of Birmingham. The role is part of the COVID-19 process and monitoring leading up to and during the games for athletes, their families and officials. Volunteers will be the public facing at the largest sporting and cultural event ever held in the West Midlands and the biggest in the UK for a decade.

Jo said: “The experience so far has been amazing, the CGA have been very thorough in their training and support leading up to the games. Thank you to Nuffield Health Taunton Hospital for supporting my leave of absence to allow me to participate as a volunteer.”

Mark Enticknap, Hospital Director of Nuffield Health Taunton Hospital, added: “We are very proud of Jo in reaching her volunteer role. Jo has a senior role in Theatre Recovery and has worked with us for 5 years. Jo has always been an aspirational member of our team who always takes advantage of learning and development opportunities. Jo is an asset to Taunton Hospital and I am sure she will become of that to the CGA.”