Table 1. Themes and subthemes in qualitative data.

Subthemes were either related to the three a priori themes (perceived benefits of information sharing; factors influencing current practice; strategies for optimal information sharing) or were discovered in the data (emergent themes).

Perceived benefits of information sharing	Factors influencing current practice	Strategies for optimal information sharing	Emergent themes
Identify high risk patients	Poor ICU information in ward team discharge summaries	Three critical illness milestones for information sharing	Centrality of GP in patient care
Guide provision of counselling and support	Laypersons are poor information couriers	Brief contact after unplanned ICU admission	The “whole patient journey”
Pre-empt patient or relative’s consultation	Lack of guidance about patient care in discharge summaries	Detailed summary after ICU discharge	Culture of expectation around GP’s knowledge of hospital care
		Notification after death in ICU