The consumer informed development of a social support intervention for people with compensable road traffic injuries

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are often associated with significant pain and psychological distress which can lead to poorer recovery outcomes. We aimed to collaborate with consumer participants to co-design an early intervention to support consumers to manage pain and distress following RTIs.

We co-designed an early intervention with consumer participants (n = 7) who had experienced RTIs and had an insurance claim with the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) within the last three years. A series of three focus group sessions gathered feedback to inform intervention strategies. Transcription and analysis informed the development of the intervention. Participant experience was evaluated via survey.

Three primary needs were identified: informational support for managing insurance claims, socio-emotional support during recovery, and guidance on non-pharmacological pain management. The developed intervention included five telehealth sessions featuring informational videos and personalised support. Consumer participants were satisfied with the co-design process and felt their contributions were incorporated into the final intervention.

The co-design process successfully engaged consumer participants who had experienced RTIs to develop a telehealth intervention aimed at reducing distress and supporting recovery. The intervention has subsequently undergone pilot testing to evaluate feasibility.