Table 1.

The formal literature search

Intervention	Safety-netting advice given for symptoms where a diagnosis is not immediately apparent or illness is initially suspected to be self-limiting, risk communication.
Setting	Any healthcare setting where discharge advice is given, any setting where health risk is communicated, for example, public health messaging during a pandemic.
Participants	Any healthcare professional. Adult patients (≥18 years) of any gender, ethnicity or other demographic group. Adult carers or family members (≥18 years) of patients unable to take responsibility for their own care, for example, children or patients with developmental disorders, of any gender, ethnicity or other demographic group.
Study design	All study designs except case reports.
Outcome	Any outcome related to the understanding of the safety-netting advice or risk communication, or ability of the patient or carer to self-care when appropriate and reconsult when necessary.
Limits	1987–present. No limits on place or language of publication were used.
Databases searched	Medline, Embase, Health Management Information Consortium, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsychINFO. Targeted Google searches of charitable, professional and government bodies.