HIV
Anyone in Britain can have an HIV test free. HIV tests are confidential. No one will know your result except you and the relevant clinic staff. To be sure no one knows, you can even give a false name and address.
Why get tested?
You should consider getting tested for HIV because:
- If you're HIV positive, the sooner you know, the sooner you can start looking after your health.
- Treatment works best if you start taking it before HIV has done too much damage to your immune system.
- HIV treatment is very effective these days and so you can expect to lead a healthy, normal life.
- The side-effects of HIV treatment are not as bad as they used to be. Many people only need to take one to three pills a day.
- You can have safer sex to avoid passing HIV on to others.
HIV treatment is free for everyone, as long as you're in the country legally. Asylum seekers can also get free treatment. And there is lots of free support, advice and counselling to help you.
If you find out that you are HIV positive, it's up to you to decide who you tell. You don't have to tell anyone.
Where to get tested
Sexual health clinics
You can get a test done free at any sexual health clinic. These are also called genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics and are usually part of hospitals. To find your nearest clinic put your postcode in the box on this webpage: www.tht.org.uk/GUM
Rapid test clinics
Some sexual health organisations, including THT, offer one-hour HIV tests.
To find your nearest clinic visit one of these
websites:
www.tht.org.uk/fastest
www.youchoose.org.uk
(Choose 'testing centres').
Private clinics
You can also get tested at a private clinic but you will
have to pay.
Need help?
If you need help to get tested get in touch with:
After the test
If your test results show that you are HIV positive there is lots of professional support available to help you come to terms with living with HIV.
Much of this is provided free via specialist HIV organisations, such as Terrence Higgins Trust. Your HIV clinic will also have health advisers, psychologists and counsellors on hand to help you.
Types of support
Helpline
THT Direct can provide information, advice and support on all aspects of living with HIV. This includes details of support groups.
Booklets and websites
If you want to find out more about HIV, there are lots of booklets and websites that can help,
including: www.tht.org.uk
www.aidsmap.org.uk
www.avert.org.uk
Support groups
Support groups provide a chance to explore different aspects of living with HIV with other people in a similar situation to yours.
One to one counselling
There are many different types of counselling. Counselling can help us to:
- change any negative thoughts and behaviour
- be clearer about feelings and how we see life.
