Table 1 Feedback provision – basic themes and representative quotes

Current feedback provision

“If you want to get feedback on a patient, you sort of have to go yourself and ask a doctor or ask a nurse about them” (Paramedic, P3912)

“Feedback is only given if it’s negative.” (EMT, P3925)

Desire for feedback

“It would be nice to know what happens with patients sometimes because when we drop them off at hospital, we don’t often know what happens to them.” (Paramedic, P3919)

Barriers to feedback

“I think there’s probably some issues about information governance there and patient confidentiality” (Paramedic, P3912)

Feedback characteristics

“I think it’s the more challenging jobs I would want feedback on. If it’s our day to day jobs then I don’t need feedback, but the more challenging ones definitely.” (Paramedic, P3932)

Mode of delivery

“I think that for some things it would be good to have a face-to-face discussion with a more senior clinician but on a day-to-day basis it could be done digitally via email.” (ECA, P3912)

Antecedents

“I think feedback is a positive thing. I think most of us in the ambulance service have quite thick skins so we are quite good at taking criticism. Obviously, if there is something we have done wrong or there is something we think we could have done better, I think we are quite good at being able to say well ‘will you tell me how I can improve’ rather than being against feedback” (ECA, P3916)