Testing

If you are thinking of having an HIV test you will need to make an appointment at one of the GU clinics.

A complete list of all the local GU clinics is found here. You do not have to go to the hospital most local to you if you do not want to; everything that is done at the GU clinic is completely confidential and the information will not be shared with anyone else. You don’t even have to use your real name if you don’t want to.

Having an HIV test


When you make your appointment with one of the GU clinics you will be given some pre-test counselling to give you the chance to say why you are seeking a test and to ask any questions you have about the test.

After the brief counselling you will have some samples of blood taken from a vein in your arm. These will be sent to the laboratory for testing.

If you have booked a same day test you will receive your results in person later in the afternoon.

Things to think about before you go for a test:

  1. Do you want to be anonymous? At a GU clinic you may give any name you choose. You must remember the name you give though!
  2. Do you want to test away from your own area, in case you are concerned about people recognising you?
  3. Do you think it would be helpful to have a friend with you while you wait for the results? Having a friend will help the time pass by more quickly. It’s also nice to have someone there for moral support.
  4. Are you telling anybody you are having the test?
When you are given the results you will be offered safer sex information and resources as well as details on how to stay healthy, whether your result is HIV- or HIV+. If you have tested positive then a follow up appointment will be made so that monitoring of your blood can start taking place.

It is good practice to take a HIV test every six months if you have many sexual partners.
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