“If people are hesitant at all, you just want a really big front door”: a rapid qualitative interview study on the Luton COVID-19 vaccination outreach clinics

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of evidence on the usefulness, practicality, and acceptance of vaccination outreach clinics in the community especially during pandemics. In this qualitative study, we explored the experiences, motivations and perceptions of service users, health professionals, strategic staff, volunteers, and community workers involved in the COVID-19 vaccination outreach clinics in Luton. METHODS: Semi structured face to face, telephone, online interviews, and focus groups were conducted with 31 participants including health professionals, strategic staff, volunteers, community workers and service users. The Framework Method was used to analyse the data and generate themes. RESULTS: Service users expressed positivity towards the convenience and familiarity of the location of the vaccination outreach clinics and the flexibility of receiving the vaccination in a local setting. Participants involved in the planning and delivery of the service commented on the worthwhile and rewarding experience but suggested more attention should be given to preparation time, service user recruitment, the working environment, and staff welfare. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 mobile vaccination outreach clinics in Luton tested and developed a different model of service delivery and demonstrated a collaborative way of working: “taking the health service to the patient, not the patient to the health service”. Planning and local community engagement were seen as key to successful delivery of a mobile healthcare service.