Table 5.

Excerpts from analysis of field notes and interviews and how priorities were shaped

Priority	Example of limitations to activity
Space – “Restrictions to activity posed by the stroke unit environment”	“When she (the carer’s wife) first went in…a really elderly lady was in the next bed and she couldn’t communicate at all. If they could have rotated the beds round so that the ones who could talk to each other [were next to each other], rather than have to talk over them to another patient, that would have been better for them”. (Interview carer, site 2, pre)
Activity – “Limited opportunities for patients to be active outside of therapy”	“I think [being a patient in here] it must be incredibly and utterly boring, I think,[…] there is the odd occasional therapy session from speech, OT and physio, I mean that would amount to maybe, what, two and a half hours, if that, maybe three.” (Interview staff, site 2, pre)
Communication – “Driven by structures and routines not enabling to activity”	“Healthcare assistant walks in and pushes her trolley next to him. She records some routine observations of pulse and blood pressure. They don’t talk. He closes his eyes while she performs the procedure.” (site 1) (Observations, site 1, pre)

Note: Space, activity, and communication were priority areas agreed by patients, carers and staff at joint events. Quotes illustrate activity limitations from interview and ethnographic observational data which facilitated priority setting.