Table 2 Main activities and sources of information used in the problem analysis

Literature review

Review of underpinning evidence, government specifications and relevant services or programmes.

∙ Scottish Government stakeholder engagement review findings and proposed specification for a Distress Brief Intervention

∙ Information Services Division review of evidence for short contact interventions

∙ Review of existing programmes and initiatives

Distress Brief Intervention National Programme Board

Representatives of government, national agencies, programme partners and pilot sites providing strategic direction, coordination, planning as well as multisectoral oversight for key decisions.

∙ 3-hour monthly meetings (n = 15)

Delivery partner and stakeholder consultation

Consultation with national agencies including Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Services, NHS 24; health services and boards, general practice, accident and emergency; third sector community services; government/policy leads; anti-stigma and discrimination organisations.

∙ Semi-structured interviews with pilot area leads (n = 5)

∙ Semi-structured interviews with national delivery agencies (n = 2)

∙ Site visits to pilot areas (n = 2)

∙ Structured discussion with policy leads, health boards and other stakeholders (n = 6)

∙ Local partnership development meetings (n = 4)

Lived experience of distress

Views and experiences of individuals with experience of distress and use of services.

∙ Focus groups with third sector service users (n = 4)

∙ Semi-structured interviews with third sector service users (n = 4)

∙ Service users’ representatives round table structured discussion (n ~ 104 services users)

Staff experienced in responding to distress

Views and experiences of frontline staff.

∙ Focus groups with Police Scotland staff (n = 3)

∙ Focus groups with third sector services staff (n = 3)

∙ Semi-structured interviews with GPs (n = 1)

∙ Semi-structured interviews with third sector services staff (n = 1)