Table II.

Summary of the key stages in setting up, delivering on, reviewing and reporting of rehabilitation in ProFHER

Stage	Setting up*		Delivery		Review		Reporting (CONSORT)
Initial care	Sling care information leaflet designed		Included in trial materials		Survey		Initial care provided; standardisation
Physiotherapy	Physiotherapy protocol – development to reflect basic standard practice, included survey; PTs attend site set-up visit; assigned contact PT to co-ordinate trial processes		Protocol included in trial participant materials; emphasis on provision for all participants		Feedback to trial PT contact; physiotherapy treatment logs; end of treatment form		Participant flow diagram; attendance and extent of physiotherapy; data for cost analysis; description of rehabilitation; standardisation of basic physiotherapy; use of additional interventions, including referral to occupational therapy; notice of adverse events
Home exercises	Instruction for locally produced exercise sheets		Part of protocol; part of site set-up		Feedback to physiotherapy contact; physiotherapy treatment logs		Standardisation of treatment; additional measure of patient activity
Data collection	Design of forms; assigned contact PT to co-ordinate data collection		Physiotherapy treatment logs and end of treatment forms are part of trial materials for recruited patients; forms circulated for completion during care pathway and collated by physiotherapy contact for dispatch to trial office		Housekeeping of returned forms; consistency checks		Data within used as above

* Common to all these was the central role, including as a source of advice, of the physiotherapy contact for the trial. PT, physiotherapist