A needle guard assembly for a catheter assembly, the needle guard assembly comprising: a housing for receiving a needle extending therethrough and having a distal end and a proximal end and a lengthwise axis between the distal and proximal ends (126, 124), the housing being connectable at the distal end of the housing to a proximal end of a catheter hub; a needle guard disposed within the housing, the needle guard characterised by comprising: a needle trap moveable between a ready position, in which the needle trap is held to one side of a needle shaft of a needle extending through the housing, and a protected position, in which the needle trap blocks a sharpened needle tip of a needle within the housing, said needle trap comprising a first end and a second end; a resilient arm biasing the needle trap into the protected position, the resilient arm bearing against an inner wall of the housing to urge the needle trap into the protected position; and a coupling arm for coupling the housing to a proximal end of a catheter hub in the ready position; wherein the needle trap and the resilient arm are folded together to one side of a needle shaft in the ready position; wherein the resilient arm is rotated in a first direction relative to the lengthwise axis of the housing and the needle trap is rotated in a second direction relative to the lengthwise axis of the housing when the needle trap moves from the ready position to the protected position, the second direction being opposite the first direction; and a lateral or side member extends proximally from the needle trap, wherein the lateral or side member is configured to prevent the needle from moving laterally out of the needle trap; and wherein the coupling arm is attached to the second end of the needle trap along a line extending generally perpendicularly to the lengthwise axis of the housing. a housing for receiving a needle extending therethrough and having a distal end and a proximal end and a lengthwise axis between the distal and proximal ends (126, 124), the housing being connectable at the distal end of the housing to a proximal end of a catheter hub; a needle guard disposed within the housing, the needle guard characterised by comprising: a needle trap moveable between a ready position, in which the needle trap is held to one side of a needle shaft of a needle extending through the housing, and a protected position, in which the needle trap blocks a sharpened needle tip of a needle within the housing, said needle trap comprising a first end and a second end; a resilient arm biasing the needle trap into the protected position, the resilient arm bearing against an inner wall of the housing to urge the needle trap into the protected position; and a coupling arm for coupling the housing to a proximal end of a catheter hub in the ready position; wherein the needle trap and the resilient arm are folded together to one side of a needle shaft in the ready position; wherein the resilient arm is rotated in a first direction relative to the lengthwise axis of the housing and the needle trap is rotated in a second direction relative to the lengthwise axis of the housing when the needle trap moves from the ready position to the protected position, the second direction being opposite the first direction; and a lateral or side member extends proximally from the needle trap, wherein the lateral or side member is configured to prevent the needle from moving laterally out of the needle trap; and wherein the coupling arm is attached to the second end of the needle trap along a line extending generally perpendicularly to the lengthwise axis of the housing. a needle trap moveable between a ready position, in which the needle trap is held to one side of a needle shaft of a needle extending through the housing, and a protected position, in which the needle trap blocks a sharpened needle tip of a needle within the housing, said needle trap comprising a first end and a second end; a resilient arm biasing the needle trap into the protected position, the resilient arm bearing against an inner wall of the housing to urge the needle trap into the protected position; and a coupling arm for coupling the housing to a proximal end of a catheter hub in the ready position; wherein the needle trap and the resilient arm are folded together to one side of a needle shaft in the ready position; wherein the resilient arm is rotated in a first direction relative to the lengthwise axis of the housing and the needle trap is rotated in a second direction relative to the lengthwise axis of the housing when the needle trap moves from the ready position to the protected position, the second direction being opposite the first direction; and a lateral or side member extends proximally from the needle trap, wherein the lateral or side member is configured to prevent the needle from moving laterally out of the needle trap; and wherein the coupling arm is attached to the second end of the needle trap along a line extending generally perpendicularly to the lengthwise axis of the housing.