Table 2.

Superordinate and subordinate themes

A turbulent journey to hospital admission	I need information and support	Maintaining my relationship with my loved one	Inpatient care is a mixed bag
A struggle to get help Things have to get worse before they get better Distressing psychosis and behaviours Emergency services involvement and sectioning	Limited communication and left wanting more Seeking involvement and feeling like a burden Carers need support too	Visits and telephone contact are a lifeline but extremely challenging Riding the wave of inpatient care and the impacts on the relationship Offering flexible support and being there	Medication is the primary treatment Holistic care wanted but not always received The importance of staff continuity and relationships Is my loved one in a safe therapeutic environment? Collaborative discharge planning is essential