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:

• a genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic
• your GP (family doctor)
• one of our Fastest clinics
• a private clinic (where you'll have to pay) 

What happens first?

At the clinic before the test you’ll be told how the test works, you can talk about any risks you’ve taken or how you might react to your result.

Then a small sample of blood is taken from your arm or from a pin prick on your finger.

Getting the result

How quickly you get the result depends on the clinic. Some places, like our Fastest clinics, offer ‘rapid tests’ with your result ready within 20 minutes of taking the test. Other clinics offer this or a same day results service. Some may take a week to get your result back. You can call clinics to ask how long it would take to get a test result

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 getting your result you should have the chance to talk to someone about how you feel. 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’ll be given support and help with what to do next, including seeing a doctor to talk about whether you need to think about taking HIV medication. 

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.