What to expect at an HIV test

If you've decided to have a test done for HIV, you need to decide where to go for the test. You can either go to a genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic, which is also known as a sexual health clinic, a private clinic, your GP (family doctor) or one of our Fastest servces. You can find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of each testing option here. 

What happens first?

At the clinic you will be offered pre-test counselling, which is the chance to talk with someone before the test. You can talk about what you think your result might be, what risks you think you have taken and how you’d react to either a positive or negative result.

Then if you still want the test, a small sample of blood is taken from your arm.

Getting the result

How quickly you get the result depends on the clinic. Some places, like THT Fastest clinics, can tell you the same day or the next day. Many clinics will have your result within a week.

Whatever your result it will not be usually given over the phone or by letter: you will need to go back to the clinic. 

The next steps

After hearing your result you should be given post-test counselling, which is the chance to talk to someone about how you feel about your test result. Your result is confidential: no-one else will be told without your permission, including your partner if you have one, your doctor or the immigration authorities.

If your result is positive you will be given support and help with finding out what to do next, including seeing a doctor to talk about whether taking anti-HIV drugs is a good idea. 

What the results really mean

Being told you have HIV does not mean you have AIDS or will get AIDS. The terms HIV and AIDS do not mean the same thing.

If you are diagnosed with HIV you might have good health for many years to come. Over the years HIV can slowly make your immune system weaker, leaving you open to serious infections. But anti-HIV drugs can keep HIV under control for many people, meaning many years of good health. 

If you have HIV you can pass it on to others if you have sex without a condom, or practice any other unsafe sexual behaviour, or share needles for injecting drugs. You can talk at the clinic about whether to tell people you have sex with that you have HIV. But no-one will be contacted by them unless you agree. If people know you are living with HIV they may react badly towards you, at least initially.

How we can help

If you have questions about HIV tests, including concerns about mortgages and life insurance, you can talk to someone at THT Direct on 0845 1221 200.

There is information elsewhere on this website about having safer sex, including what you can do if you or your partner are living with HIV and how to reduce your risks.