Participant characteristics (n = 40)
| Characteristic | n (%), or mean years (SD; range) |
| Type of enquirer | |
| Patient, calling for self | 33 (82.5) |
| Carer/calling on behalf of patient | 7 (17.5) |
| Type of patient* | |
| Recent inpatient | 17 (51.5) |
| Recent outpatient | 12 (36.4) |
| Former patient | 4 (12.1) |
| Type of carer† | |
| Spouse or partner of patient | 5 (71.4) |
| Parent of patient | 1 (14.3) |
| Son or daughter of patient | 1 (14.3) |
| Number of medicines currently prescribed* | |
| 0–4 | 11 (33.3) |
| 5–9 | 19 (57.6) |
| 10 or more | 3 (9.1) |
| Gender of enquirer | |
| Male | 17 (42) |
| Female | 23 (58) |
| Age of enquirer (years) | 68 (9.87; 44–85) |
| Ethnicity of enquirer | |
| White or White British | 38 (95) |
| Asian or Asian British | 1 (2.5) |
| Mixed race | 1 (2.5) |
| Occupational status of enquirer | |
| Retired | 30 (75) |
| Employed | 4 (10) |
| Unemployed | 4 (10) |
| Carer and/or homemaker | 2 (5) |
| Has enquirer used a PMHS in the past? | |
| No | 34 (85) |
| Yes | 6 (15) |
| NHS Trust where PMHS was used | |
| Acute 1 | 23 (57.5) |
| Acute 2 | 6 (15) |
| Acute 3 | 6 (15) |
| Acute 4 | 3 (7.5) |
| Mental health | 1 (2.5) |
| Specialist | 1 (2.5) |
| Community | 0 (0) |
*Data collected only from participants who were patients.
†Data collected only from participants who were carers.
NHS, National Health Service; PMHS, patient medicines helpline service.