Table 3.

Summary of hospital respondents and relating discharge letter characteristics

Demographics and characteristics	Sample results
	Group	Frequency (%)
GP letter grading	Successful	25 (54.3%)
	Unsuccessful	21 (45.7%)
	Total	46 (100%)
Discharge speciality	None specified	4 (8.7%)
	Accident & Emergency	4 (8.7%)
	Acute Medicine	5 (10.9%)
	Ambulatory care	1 (2.2%)
	Cardiology	5 (10.9%)
	Cardiothoracic Surgery	2 (4.3%)
	Care of the Elderly	2 (4.3%)
	Colorectal Surgery	1 (2.2%)
	Day Surgery	2 (4.3%)
	Ear Nose and Throat	3 (6.5%)
	General Medicine	2 (4.3%)
	General Surgery	3 (6.5%)
	Gynaecology	2 (4.3%)
	Pain service	1 (2.2%)
	Plastics	1 (2.2%)
	Respiratory	1 (2.2%)
	Trauma & Orthopaedics	4 (8.7%)
	Urology	3 (6.5%)
	Total	46 (100.0%)
Gender of hospital respondent	Missing	12 (26.1%)
	Female	15 (32.6%)
	Male	19 (41.3%)
	Total	46 (100.0%)
Age of hospital respondent	Missing	12 (26.1%)
	21–30	9 (19.6%)
	31–40	10 (21.7%)
	41–50	9 (19.6%)
	51–60	6 (13.0%)
	Total	46 (100.0%)
Role of signing physician	Other	1 (2.2%)
	Nurse/ACP	10 (21.7%)
	Junior Doctor	9 (19.6%)
	Speciality Trainee/ Core Trainee/ Registrar	7 (15.2%)
	Consultant	19 (41.3%)
	Total	46 (100.0%)
Ethnicity of hospital respondent	Missing	14 (30.4%)
	African	2 (4.3%)
	Asian	4 (8.7%)
	British	5 (10.9%)
	White	9 (19.6%)
	White British	11 (23.9%)
	Irish	1 (2.2%)
	Total	46 (100.0%)
Training location of hospital respondent	Internationally	6 (13.0%)
	Nationally (UK)	40 (87.0%)
	Total	46 (100.0%)
Hospital respondent year qualified	1981–1990	7 (15.2%)
	1991–2000	12 (26.1%)
	2001–2010	12 (26.1%)
	2011–2017	15 (32.6%)
	Total	46 (100.0%)
Religion of hospital respondent	Missing	27 (58.7%)
	Atheist	3 (6.5%)
	Christian	11 (23.9%)
	Hindu	3 (6.5%)
	Islam	2 (4.3%)
	Total	46 (100.0%)