Table 6 Participant quotations for each sub-theme

Randomisation

“Fine, I had no feelings one way or another [about being allocated to cardiac rehabilitation or usual care (no rehabilitation) group]. I was quite happy to participate one way or t’other.” (site 1 23 usual care)

Investigator: Were you a little bit disappointed [not being allocated to the cardiac rehabilitation group]?

Participant: I was because I thought the exercise might help me.” (site 2 09 usual care)

Study information

“I got a big form with more information but I haven’t read it [laughs].” (site 2 17 usual care)

Investigator: “Do you feel that all the information you were given was clear?

Participant: Yes I’m sure it was… I can’t remember reading the booklet. I think it was just verbal but maybe I should have read the booklet [laughs].” (site 2 09 usual care)

Investigator: “Was it an appropriate time to discuss the study?

Participant: Yeah.

Investigator: There was nothing inappropriate about the timing or insensitive?

Participant: Not for me anyway.” (site 2 17 usual care)

Participant burden: questionnaires

“Oh they’re fair, the questions are fair, yes, and eh, I mean, there’s nothing that I’m stumbling to answer, you know, it’s very simple and eh straightforward.” (site 1 02 cardiac rehabilitation)

“I think they’re quite long.” (site 1 13 cardiac rehabilitation)

“A wee bit long, a wee bit long, I'm saying eh, and, no, eh aye seemed tae be getting the same question, again and again.” (site 2 02 cardiac rehabilitation)

Participant burden: accelerometers

“Easy to use. I think I wore it quite diligently.” (site 1 19 usual care)

“I realised you had to do it [wear accelerometer] but I was putting up with so much with stitches round my rear end, stitches from here to there like top to bottom on my front, plus the [stoma] bag and all the rest.” (site 3 02 usual care)