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Article History

Received: 26 November 2020

Accepted: 3 December 2021

First Online: 14 January 2022

Declarations

:

: We completed the Health Research Authority NHS research Decision tool. This tool is designed to guide projects on whether or not their work counts as research which requires ethics approval (). This confirmed this work does NOT count as research which requires ethics approval.This project was therefore deemed a quality improvement initiative. Despite this, all methods were carried out in accordance with the Health Research Authority guidelines and regulations to protect the rights, safety, dignity and wellbeing of research participants.The decision to participate in this study was voluntary. No participants were obliged to take part. Verbal consent was taken from all participants to audio record the focus groups and for use of their quotes for the toolkit and publications.As the work did not require ethics approval it was deemed that the invitation letter to all participants describing the process and allowing participants to opt out or object was sufficient. All participants received this information, which was repeated verbally during the sessions. The results of the sessions was fed back to the participants, at no stage did any of the participants raise any objections or concern.

: Not applicable.

: None.