Full STI Screen

We have the Full STI Screen, Full Screen Plus and Full Screen Extended available for home sampling. For most people the Full STI Screen is sufficient and it would be the one that we would normally recommend where patients have some form of genito-urinary tract symptoms such as irritation, burning sensation when passing urine or an unusual discharge. Where you also want to know about blood-borne infections such as HIV, then we recommend the Full Screen Plus. Full Screen Extended adds swab testing for rectal and throat infections.

What the Tests Cover

I have never heard of some of these infections. Are they serious?

Some infections can cause problems if left untreated. Most bacterial infections are easy to treat using appropriate antibiotics so it is important to be tested.

Unfortunately the NHS does not test for some of these infections so the only way to get tested for these is to use a private medical service such as The STI Clinic.

If we detect any of the blood-borne infections, we will recommend a face to face consultation for confirmatory testing and advice on treatments.

If you are having the Full Screen Plus then we also need a very small blood sample using a finger prick test. The finger prick test is very easy to perform at home and only a tiny quantity of blood is required for an accurate result.

What if I test positive for any of these infections?

We will prescribe an appropriate antibiotic or anti-viral for next day delivery if you test positive for anything on the Full STI Screen that requires treatment under the latest UK guidelines. If you test positive for HIV, Syphilis or Hepatitis on the Full Screen Plus then you will need to follow up with a doctor face to face for confirmatory venous testing and advice on treatments. We can provide advice on the location of your nearest clinic if you are in the UK. Please see the relevant infection page on this website for the specific treatment advice.

How long does the test result take?

The results for the full screen are normally back within 36 – 48 hours of the sample being received at the lab. Please note that the genetics lab that runs the urine and swab elements of the full screen is not open on Saturdays or Sundays. Any sample received over the weekend will be put in for testing on the Monday. The blood test is normally back within 4 hours so we can provide an interim result before the other results are back. The biochemistry lab that runs the blood screen is open over the weekend so the average 4 hour turnaround time does apply to Saturdays and Sundays. We believe this is the fastest turnaround time for this comprehensive test anywhere in the UK.

How reliable are the results?

We use one of the UK's leading pathology labs and the process is the same as if you were to use your own doctor other than the fact that we do not need you to visit us in order to provide the sample.

How long should I wait after a risky event?

Some of the infections will not show up in a test for around 2 weeks so this is the length of time we recommend waiting after a sexual encounter that might put you at risk of picking up one of these infections. You can get tested before the 2 weeks is up but if the result is negative, we will recommend a retest with a new sample. The items covered by the blood screen can take longer to show up but the antigen associated with HIV will definitely show up after 6 weeks but can be detected as early as 10 days after exposure. We recommend getting tested at the earliest opportunity and follow up with a retest if necessary after the relevant time lapse.