Box 1.

Safety-netting advice definition and exclusion criteria

Safety-netting advice ‘Information shared with a patient or their carer designed to help them identify the need to seek further medical help if their condition fails to improve, changes, or if they have concerns about their health.’ Adapted from Roland et al 2014.17
Exclusion criteria
Planned follow-up	Back pain: ‘Then, you need an appointment with me in a couple of weeks’ time.’
Contingent on investigation result	Suspected vitamin D deficiency: ‘If it is low, we will need to restart your vitamin D.’
Contingent self-care	Fungal rash: ‘Then, if you’ve got some left over, keep it in the bedside cabinet, and if it comes back you can just use it again.’
Delayed prescriptions	Indigestion pain and prescription for proton pump inhibitor: ‘And then if, despite that, you’ve still got symptoms, cash this in, probably tomorrow, if you’re still in trouble, OK? ’
Changes mind about treatment already offered	Offering exercise on prescription: ‘If you decide you want to do that, you let me know.’
Contingent administration	New medication: ‘If you wanted them to be put over on to repeat let me know and I can add it to your repeats.’