CASE STUDIES

Head Injury Retrieval Trial

In Sydney, around 75% of head injuries are sustained in car crashes and severe head injuries are a leading cause of death and disability for people in car crashes. As a compulsory third party insurer, NRMA Insurance has a role in helping to reduce the risk of injury in the community and promote better recovery outcomes.

In March 2005, NRMA Insurance and NRMA CareFlight launched a world-first medical trial, the Head Injury Retrieval Trial (HIRT), which aims to improve recovery outcomes for people who sustain head injuries. Under the trial, specialist doctors and paramedics are sent by helicopter to the crash scene as soon as people are identified with severe head injury to provide intensive trauma care, rather than waiting until the patient arrives at hospital. We are contributing $11.2 million to fund the trial over three years.