Fast, confidential HIV testing in London

You should book a test if you have had:

• Sex without a condom with a new or casual partner
• A condom that split, came off or wasn’t used properly
• Sex with someone who has HIV or whose status you don’t know
• Shared needles or injecting equipment

If this was in the last 72 hours, read the section on PEP first – you may need urgent treatment.
If it was more than 72 hours ago, the next step is choosing the right test at the right time.

Regular testing is just part of looking after your health:

• At least once if you’ve ever had unprotected sex and never been tested
• Once a year if you have new or multiple partners
• Every 3–6 months if you’re in a higher-risk group (for example, men who have sex with men, on PrEP, or with partners from higher-prevalence areas)

You can book HIV testing on its own, or as part of a wider sexual health screen.

If you’re even asking this question, it’s usually a sign you should test. Here’s when to book:

It’s sensible to have an HIV test:

• When starting a new relationship and you both want to stop using condoms
• If you’re planning a pregnancy or fertility treatment
• Before or after travelling to areas where HIV is more common

An HIV test here is about clarity and peace of mind, not judgement.

Sometimes the biggest problem is the worry, not the actual level of risk.

If you can’t stop thinking about HIV, or you’re caught in endless “what if?” searching online, it’s better to:

• Book a test at the appropriate time after the contact, and
• Talk to a clinician who can explain your personal level of risk and what your result actually means. Bottom line:
  If you’ve had a possible exposure, or you’re unsure about your status, don’t sit on it. Book an HIV test and get a clear answer.

Short answer: you cannot rely on symptoms alone. Some people with HIV feel completely well for years, others get very general symptoms that look like lots of other common illnesses. The only way to know is to have an HIV test at the right time after any possible risk.

Plenty of people with HIV:

• Feel completely normal
• Have no specific “HIV symptoms”
• Only find out through routine or precautionary testing

So feeling well doesn’t rule HIV out – and feeling tired or run down doesn’t automatically mean you have HIV either.

A few weeks after infection, some people get a short illness (often called a “seroconversion illness”). Typical symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Rash
• Swollen glands
• Headache, muscle aches, feeling generally unwell

The problem is these are nonspecific. Colds, flu, COVID and many other viruses can cause exactly the same thing. You can’t tell from symptoms alone.

If you’ve had these kinds of symptoms and a possible HIV risk (for example, sex without a condom or a condom failure), it’s sensible to look at the timing and book a test.

Without treatment, HIV can eventually damage the immune system and cause more serious infections and weight loss. In the UK, with testing and modern treatment available, we want to pick HIV up long before that.

If you wait for “typical HIV symptoms”, you’re waiting too long.

Base your decision on risk + timing, not symptoms:

• If you’ve had a possible exposure (for example, unprotected sex with a new partner), check our section on when to test and choose the right time for a 4th generation HIV test.
• If you’re unsure how risky something was, book an appointment – a clinician can go through what happened and recommend the most appropriate test and timing.

• If you’re unwell after a possible HIV exposure, we can assess you, look at the timing and arrange the right tests – for HIV and for other possible causes.
• If you feel very unwell (for example, severe shortness of breath, chest pain, confusion or can’t keep fluids down), seek urgent medical help via NHS 111, an urgent care centre or A&E.

Bottom line:
Symptoms on their own cannot confirm or rule out HIV. If you’ve had a possible risk and you’re worrying about it, the most helpful next step is to book an HIV test and get a clear answer.

A positive HIV result is a shock for anyone – but you are not on your own, and this is not the end of your future plans. Modern treatment is highly effective, and we’ll guide you through every step.

You won’t just be left to interpret a positive result on a screen. A clinician will:

• Confirm the result with you
• Explain clearly what it means and what happens next
• Answer your questions, as honestly and simply as possible

If a confirmatory blood test is needed, we’ll arrange that straight away.

If HIV is confirmed, the priority is to link you into a specialist NHS HIV clinic. We will:

• Arrange a referral to an appropriate NHS HIV service
• Share your results with them (with your consent) so you don’t have to start from scratch
• Make sure you understand where to go and what to expect

At the clinic, they’ll organise further blood tests and start you on treatment.

Modern HIV treatment is:

• Taken once a day in most cases
• Designed to reduce the amount of virus in your blood to an undetectable level
• So effective that, once undetectable, you cannot pass HIV on through sex (often called “U=U” – undetectable equals untransmittable)

With treatment and follow-up, people with HIV can have a near-normal life expectancy and live full, active lives.

Many people worry most about how to tell partners or loved ones. We can:

• Talk about who may need to know and how to say it
• Advise on partner notification and where specialist support is available
• Signpost to reputable charities and support organisations if you’d like extra help

You remain in control of who is told and when, except in very rare situations where we are legally required to share information.

Your HIV result is part of your confidential medical record. It is not shared with employers, family or insurers without your explicit consent, except where the law requires it.

If your test is positive, the most important next step is simple:
stay engaged with care. We will help you get to the right specialist team quickly, and they will support you with treatment and follow-up so you can plan your future with clarity.

Some HIV questions can’t wait. If you’ve had a recent risk or you’re worried about ongoing risk, this is how PEP, PrEP and urgent help fit together.

PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is emergency HIV medication taken for 28 days to reduce the chance of infection after a high-risk exposure.

• It must be started within 72 hours of the contact – the sooner the better.
• It’s usually given by NHS sexual health clinics or A&E, not routine GP appointments.
• You’ll be assessed on what happened, when, and who was involved to decide if PEP is appropriate.

If your possible exposure was in the last 72 hours:

• Do not wait for a standard DocTap appointment.
• Go straight to an NHS sexual health clinic or A&E and tell them you’re worried about HIV and think you may need PEP.
• You can still book follow-up HIV testing with DocTap later to confirm your status.

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is HIV medication taken before and around times of risk to reduce the chance of becoming infected.

• It’s designed for people at ongoing higher risk, for example some men who have sex with men, people with HIV-positive partners, or those with frequent condomless sex.
• When taken correctly, PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV.
• You still need regular HIV tests and STI screens, plus occasional blood tests to monitor your health.

If you think you might benefit from PrEP:

• You can discuss it with a sexual health clinic or specialist PrEP service.
• DocTap can help with HIV testing and STI screening alongside any PrEP care you receive.

Seek urgent help (NHS 111, sexual health clinic or A&E) if:

• A possible HIV exposure was within the last 72 hours (you may need PEP), or
• You feel very unwell after a recent high-risk exposure – for example, high fever, severe headache, rash and feeling generally very ill, or any symptoms that worry you.

DocTap is here to:

• Provide confidential HIV testing at the right time after any exposure
• Help you understand your personal level of risk
• Arrange appropriate follow-up tests and referral into NHS specialist services if needed

If you’re unsure whether you need PEP, PrEP, or just a well-timed HIV test, book an appointment and we’ll talk through what happened and the safest next step for you.