emphasis on lifetime as well as current experiences. This study of SMD in Scotland has been able to benefit from the insights from this further study and adopts a framework to encompass SMD definitions from both the ‘gendered patterns’ study and the original Hard Edges.
During the early stages of this Scottish study, it also became apparent that it would be appropriate to conduct a significant qualitative element within the research that reached substantially beyond what had been attempted in England. A more in-depth and holistic analysis of local systemic responses was felt likely to significantly bolster the policy- and practice-influencing agenda that is the ultimate purpose of the study.
The central aim of this present study was therefore to establish a statistical profile of the extent and nature of SMD in Scotland, in both its original and expanded form. This included clarifying the patterns of overlap between the different specified domains and creating a fuller profile of those affected. In addition, the research sought to identify similarities and differences between England and Scotland, where appropriate. It also sought to illuminate both service provider and service user perspectives on the routes into SMD and experiences of interacting with multiple service systems, in order to identify requirements for national and local systems change.
