Lateral flow testing for Covid-19 will be offered to all court users at Manchester Civil Justice Centre for the next four weeks, HM Courts & Tribunals Service has announced.
HMCTS officials revealed earlier this month that LFT would be piloted at the court to improve court safety. Providing further details today, HMCTS said the test would be offered to those not showing coronavirus symptoms, and all staff, judiciary, contractors and legal professionals.
LFT detects the presence of the virus by applying a swab or saliva sample to the device’s absorbent pad. The sample runs along the surface of the pad, showing at the end a visual positive or negative result dependent on the presence of the virus.
Court users will be able to book a test slot and they will be asked to register their details. Specially trained staff will supervise the test and process the results.
NHS Test and Trace will text or email the result in about 30 minutes. HMCTS said if the test is positive, ‘the court user will be required to leave the court, return home quickly and directly, and follow NHS advice’.
The agency added that it is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to explore nationwide testing. ‘There are practical issues to resolve before any wider roll out – not least space, staffing and supply of equipment,’ it added.
Kevin Sadler, HMCTS acting chief executive, said: ‘We are pleased to be supporting NHS Test and Trace in their national testing programme by running this pilot trial for lateral flow testing. The results will help develop and improve the national testing programme and inform how we could roll out rapid testing nationally to other courts and tribunals.
‘We have worked hard to ensure that all our courts and tribunal buildings meet Public Health Covid-secure guidelines. This additional measure will provide further reassurance to those visiting our buildings.’
Official figures reveal that nearly 600 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed among court users between 24 November and 11 January. Days after justice minister Chris Philp told the Commons the courts are ‘Covid-safe’, Doncaster Centre North was closed for a day following an outbreak.
The Gazette is aware of at least one case where the solicitor was informed that a prisoner they saw at court subsequently tested positive for Covid. Court staff had not been told that the prisoner was awaiting a test result.
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