Content analysis of all observed instances of safety-netting, n=78
| Content | Codes | Episode frequency, n (%) |
| Generic versus specific advice | Generic (eg, ‘any issues’, ‘any worries’ or ‘you feel unwell’) | 9 (11.5) |
| Specific (names specific symptom or clinical feature to be alert for) | 54 (69.2) | |
| Both (gives specific symptoms AND also generic comment) | 14 (17.9) | |
| Number of symptoms/clinical features mentioned | 1 | 18 (23) |
| 2 | 20 (25.6) | |
| 3 | 17 (21.8) | |
| 4 | 7 (9.0) | |
| 5 | 6 (7.7) | |
| >5 | 1 (1.3) | |
| Action advised | Specifically advises who to contact (eg, come back to hospital vs see your GP) | 60 (76.9) |
| Non-specific (eg, just advises seeking medical attention) | 18 (23.1) | |
| Strength of the endorsement | Stronger (eg, includes terms such as ‘should’, ‘must’, ‘need to’) | 37 (47.4) |
| Neutral (does not use stronger or weaker qualifiers) | 33 (42.3) | |
| Weaker (eg, includes terms such as ‘can, ‘could’ or ‘feel free to’) | 8 (10.3) | |
| Timescale | Mentions a fixed time period (eg, ‘if not improving in the next day’) | 1 (1.3) |
| Immediate/straight away (eg, ‘come back straight away’ or ‘call 999 urgently’) | 9 (11.5) | |
| Not specified | 67 (85.9) | |
| Focus of action | Clinician (eg, ‘we would then want to arrange more tests) | 8 (10.3) |
| Patient (eg, ‘you should come back then’) | 51 (65.4) | |
| Both (gives patient action AND mentions what clinician would do) | 19 (24.3) |
GP, General Practioner.