Lateral Flow Testing (LFT) for pregnant women and support people

Date: 07/06/2021

Following the most recent Government guidance, MKUH maternity services will be introducing lateral flow testing (LFT) across pregnancy outpatient pathways so that your chosen support person can accompany you to all outpatient appointments.

You and your chosen support person will be encouraged to sign up to the home COVID-19 screening programme that has been initiated across the UK. You will be asked to bring evidence of a negative lateral flow test, that you carried out at home in advance of your scheduled appointment, by bringing and showing the reception staff on arrival.

What are booked outpatient appointments?

Appointments booked/scheduled in advance, such as:

• antenatal appointments, both in the hospital and the community
• routine scan appointments, both in the main ultrasound department and in the community, which included the fetal medicine department
• non-routine appointments where you are required to attend the antenatal day assessment unit
• pre-clerking appointments
• booked consultant clinic appointments

What appointments are not booked in advance?

Unscheduled or emergency appointments including:

• unscheduled/emergency scan appointments in the antenatal day assessment unit (ADAU)

For unscheduled/emergency appointments you may not have the change to complete a LFT in advance. In this circumstance, you will both be given a testing kit in the reception area where your appointment is, so the test can be performed.

Support people will be asked to leave the ward area once they have collected their resting kits, to perform their LFT.

Testing on hospital admission

We will continue to carry out inpatient swab testing (PCR) to women upon admission to hospital (including labour).

When will this testing start?

Testing starts from Monday 7 June 2021. After this date, the expectation is that you and your support person will be able to provide evidence of a negative lateral flow test that will have been done at home, in advance of the appointment.

How can I get a home testing kit?

You can easily get your home testing kit by choosing one of the steps below:

• Order kits online from the government website
• Go to your local pharmacy and ask for a home testing kit
• Go to any identified test site locally to collect a home testing kit. These locations can be found here.

For more information about changes to our maternity services, please click here.

Thank you for your cooperation.

• Share:
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn