STD Testing Options

Most people hate the idea of attending a GUM clinic where they can be seen entering and leaving. This is why The STI Clinic was established: to bring confidentiality and privacy to laboratory-based STI testing. We have provided a fully integrated service that marries up the doctor and the laboratory, so if you test positive for anything, treatments are available. The problem with other home STI/STD testing services is that many are not backed up by healthcare professionals so there is no advisory or prescribing capacity.

Which Test is Right for Me?

One of the most frequent questions that we get asked relates to the most appropriate STI test. The very simple answer is that if you have any symptoms such as irritation, a burning sensation when passing urine or an unusual discharge, then we recommend our full screen. The full STI screen will look for common causes of these symptoms, including Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea. The test will also look for other infections that are less well known, such as Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma Genitalium. The full STI test looks for a total of 7 different infections. Full details of this STI test can be found here

If you just want to rule out having the most common bacterial infections then we recommend the Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea combination test. This test will look for the two most common bacterial STIs in the UK.

If you have been told by a sexual partner that they have an infection, you can get tested for that individual infection to check whether or not you have it. Where a partner has tested positive for something like chlamydia or gonorrhoea then treatment is recommended on a precautionary basis.

If you have blisters around your genital area then we can run a herpes test for you. We use DNA PCR to test for herpes simplex 1 and 2. A herpes PCR test will only ever show a positive result if the virus is present and in the shedding phase (usually symptomatic stage.)

How do I get one of the STI tests?

You can see our full range of tests here: STD Tests - Home Testing Service

All that you have to do is choose which test you want and register or login if you have used the service previously. If the particular test that you are looking for is not listed, please contact the help desk for advice.

How long does the test take?

We can send the sample collection kit to you for next day delivery in the UK. Overseas orders can take longer. When we receive your sample back, results are available within 24 hours in most cases (some as quick as 4 hours). The full screen will normally take longer because of the complexity but most results for the full screen are back within 36 hours. Results are accessed online using your unique login. We believe that our results service is the fastest lab-based STI service available in the UK.