Rugby Players Association Admiral Nurse Clinic

Joe Costello is the Consultant Admiral Nurse for Sport and Dementia at Dementia UK. Since qualifying as a Registered Mental Health Nurse in 2003, Joe has practised clinically in the care of older people within mental health services. Dementia care has been a core component of his various acute, community and clinic nursing roles in both the NHS and at Dementia UK.

Joe is passionate about using his specialist skills, knowledge and experience in dementia care to provide RPA members of all ages who are affected by dementia, and their families/carers, with high quality, appropriate care and support.

With more than 14 years’ nursing experience, Jennifer is proud to join the RPA Admiral Nurse Service supporting Rugby Union families.

Jennifer is dual-qualified in Learning Disability and Mental Health Nursing and has been working with Dementia UK since 2021, when she launched the first Admiral Nurse clinic in Edinburgh.

Throughout her career, Jennifer has worked across a range of settings, including hospitals, community mental health teams and memory assessment and treatment services. Her focus has always been on providing compassionate, tailored support to families facing the challenges of dementia.

As a lifelong sports enthusiast, Jennifer is passionate about the power of sport to bring people together and support both physical and mental wellbeing. She enjoys CrossFit, training for marathons and watching F1 and the Six Nations, as well as exploring new places around the globe.

Tracy qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1990 and spent her NHS career in a variety of clinical and leadership roles, focusing on care for older adults, emergency admissions, fractures, frailty and dementia. She has a personal passion for dementia care; both of her parents were diagnosed with dementia, and she often felt unsupported as their primary carer.

Throughout her career, Tracy has been deeply committed to supporting people living with dementia and their families. Motivated by her own journey, Tracy transitioned into a new chapter after retiring from the NHS. She became an Admiral Nurse, first working with Age UK in her local community, and later joining the Dementia UK Helpline Team.

For Tracy, supporting the sporting community is a true privilege. She is proud to bring her experience and empathy to the rugby community, helping families navigate brain health challenges with compassion and understanding.