Where to test

The National Health Service (NHS) has a well-developed network of sexual health clinics which, for most people, will be the most appropriate place to seek an HIV test. They are outpatient clinics at hospitals. These clinics may also be called genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics.

There is no need for a referral from a GP or any other doctor to attend a sexual health clinic. Moreover, there are higher standards of confidentiality at sexual health clinics than at other medical services:

• It is not necessary to present any form of ID such an NHS card or a passport when registering.
• Medical records in sexual health (GUM) clinics are kept separately from records held by GPs and by other hospital departments as well as the NHS electronic patient records.
• Sexual health clinics will usually accept patients registering under a false name, as long as they remember that false name and always use it.

HIV counselling and testing services, as well as the testing and treatment of other sexually transmitted infections are free for everyone, regardless of immigration status. However, treatment of HIV infection will not necessarily be free for people who have moved to the UK from another country.

To find details of your nearest sexual health clinic, use the search function on www.aidsmap.com or call THT Direct (0845 12 21 200).

However HIV tests are also available elsewhere:

• An increasing number of GPs offer HIV tests.
• Some voluntary and NHS organisations provide outreach clinics at which rapid testing is offered. These clinics take place in a range of venues such as community centres, youth clubs, the premises of a voluntary organisation, and social venues. These clinics are usually targeted for specific communities (e.g. gay men, African people) and take place for a few hours each week.
• The high street chemist Superdrug offers testing in around 20 branches.
• Dr Thom, a private company, offers a home sampling kit.
• A number of private healthcare companies offer HIV testing.
• Testing may be offered when somebody attends a healthcare facility for another reason.

Between 2006 and 2009, three-quarters of all HIV diagnoses were made in sexual health clinics. The proportion of diagnoses made in other medical settings rose during this period, with 6.5% made in antenatal clinics, 6.5% at GP surgeries, 5.0% at a hospital medical admissions unit or Accident & Emergency department, 4.7% in infectious disease units and 2.1% in outpatient services.¹

Black and minority ethnic individuals were more likely to be diagnosed outside a sexual health clinic than white people. One in five women was diagnosed at an antenatal clinic. Among people over the age of 50, one in ten was diagnosed at a hospital medical admissions unit or Accident & Emergency department and this was often a late diagnosis.