04 April 2020

England netballer and doctor Layla Guscoth flew home from Australia to volunteer for hospital shifts

England netballer Layla Guscoth has flown home from Australia to join the NHS frontline battling coronavirus.

The Adelaide Thunderbirds defender, who is also a doctor, returned to the UK after the Suncorp Super Netball season was suspended

The 28 year-old told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It’s hard to think about netball and right now my focus is doing what I can do to help in hospital.

"While in Australia, I really felt like I should be doing something.

"So as soon as I got word that the league would not be starting as planned in May, I was on a flight home within 48 hours.

"I heard that hospitals were calling for retired doctors and nurses so I felt like it was my duty and I just wanted to be at home working."

She is currently rotating between treating coronavirus patients with symptoms and other non-related medical issues at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The World Cup 2019 bronze medallist added: "It’s a new virus and not something we learned about in medical school, so it is a different way of working but we're following all the guidelines, morale is good and we’re up for the challenge and what’s to come."

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