BokSmart, the National Rugby Safety Programme, is a joint initiative between the South African Rugby Union and the Players’ Fund.

The main pillars of the programme are focused on: Injury prevention, injury management, rugby safety, and player performance, but with specific attention on understanding and preventing serious and catastrophic head and neck injuries. The programme’s education, protocols and policies, are underpinned using an evidence-based and research-driven approach.

It is also through this national network platform and network that the Players’ Fund office is alerted of serious injuries as soon as after they occur to enable the Fund to be there and assist these players and their families from the very beginning.

The BokSmart Spineline is a dedicated emergency helpline solely for potentially serious concussion, head, neck and spine injuries sustained during a rugby match or rugby practice. These kinds of injuries must be potentially life-threatening, potentially debilitating, and require the player to be admitted to hospital to activate this pathway.

The 0800 678 678 number will fast track emergency treatment, medical management, and road transport of the seriously injured rugby player 24 hours per day from anywhere in the country. The dedicated helpline is mainly there for when there are no suitably qualified Emergency Medical Services (EMS) readily available on site and able to treat, manage, and transport these individuals to hospital safely and effectively.

The toll free number is linked to a National Emergency Service Provider, ER24, who provides the necessary advice, initial telephonic screening, and dispatches or arranges suitable road transportation of the injured player to the nearest and most appropriate medical facility.

You can also find out more about the BokSmart Spineline by completing the online Module freely available on MyBokSmart Medical.