Table 1.

Process of framework analysis

Stage of analysis	Description
Managing the data	We managed transcriptions using Nvivo V.12 software (QSR International, 2018) to supplement the researchers’ analytical thinking and familiarisation with the data.
Familiarisation	Both researchers undertaking interviews (CH and LJ) immersed themselves in the data by reading and re-reading transcripts, listening to audio recordings and producing detailed notes for each interview in order to help facilitate the following analysis stages.
Identifying a thematic framework	Researchers independently developed two thematic frameworks and met on multiple occasions to discuss and refine these into one thematic framework. This was tested on four transcripts prior to use, and further iterations continued to be made through discussion with the study team as the coding developed.
Indexing the data	Both researchers then indexed, or coded, the interview data according to 10 themes and 95 subthemes which were identified in the thematic framework. Data were recoded where needed whenever revisions to the coding framework were made.
Charting	Once coding was complete, we explored the relationships between themes using mindmaps, research team discussions and creation of overarching themes, or ‘supercodes.’ This process identified six overarching themes made up of 30 subthemes. We also explored categories of participants, particularly focusing on relationships between career stage, gender, job role, ethnicity, previous or current experience of mental illness and working in a deprived geographical area. Qualitative analysis of the data was facilitated through mapping themes according to these key characteristics.
Mapping and interpretation	In order to go beyond the purely descriptive account of the data and develop wider meanings about links between phenomena and subgroups of participants, we mapped themes to build patterns in the data, bearing in mind the original research objectives and also exploring negative or deviant cases to explore alternative explanations.