Engaging Underserved Communities With Preventive Health Outreach Services: The Perspective of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Stakeholders

Introduction Community‐based health interventions can improve the uptake of preventive health services, including for groups underserved by mainstream services. Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations are well‐placed to link health services with local communities, and to share place‐based knowledge and expertise in community work with health practitioners. VCSE stakeholders have a multifaceted understanding of local places and residents’ needs, and their perspectives are important to the evaluation of community‐based health services. This qualitative study explores how two preventive health outreach services in the United Kingdom worked with VCSE organisations to reach underserved communities. The study explores the work of the outreach services from the perspective of VCSE stakeholders and includes an exploration of their own role within the service. Methods Ten semistructured qualitative one‐to‐one interviews were carried out with VCSE stakeholders who worked with one or more of the underserved communities targeted by the preventive health outreach services and who had worked alongside them. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis technique. Findings Four themes were identified: (1) aligned approaches to community work, (2) equitable access to preventive care, (3) becoming a trusted presence within communities and (4) working within an increasingly challenging social climate. Conclusions Closer working between VCSE organisations and preventive health outreach services can support the drive to reduce health inequalities in underserved communities. VCSE organisations can effectively serve as a bridge between communities and health services and support services in building community trust. Communities require consistent, place‐based support, which can be facilitated by joint working between community and health services, who can share knowledge, learning and resources. Coproduction from the earliest stages of development, strategic links and sustainability planning are vital areas for consideration by those developing effective community‐based preventive outreach services.