Confidential HIV Test Merseyside

We have  private sexual health clinics across Merseyside.  They offering you a confidential and anonymous environment that is ideally suited for a discreet HIV test. Our friendly and non-judgemental staff ensure that any test is carried out quickly and confidentially.

Our Laboratory has a fast turnaround, and will provide you with highly accurate and quick results.

You can call our booking team 24 hours a day, seven days a week or book a test online.

Within our clinics across Merseyside, there are three types of HIV test:

  • Rapid HIV Test. This test is available in select clinics.  It gives you a highly accurate HIV test result within 20 minutes, while you wait. This test is appropriate for detecting an HIV exposure that has occurred at least 26 days ago.
  • HIV 28 Day DUO Test. Provides very accurate HIV testing results for exposures that occurred at least four weeks ago. Results are available the same day that your sample is received in the laboratory. The HIV Duo test combines an HIV antibody and HIV antigen test.  So any HIV infection is detected sooner than a traditional antibody test.
  • HIV 10 Day PCR DNA Test. This test provides accurate HIV testing results for possible exposures that occurred at least ten days ago. While it is slightly less accurate than HIV DUO testing, it can give peace of mind earlier.  It should be followed up at 28 days with a DUO test. The results for this HIV test take three working days to come back from the laboratory.

Signs and Symptoms of HIV

The only way to tell if you have HIV is to be tested for it. The National AIDS trust has researched the early stages of infection.  They have found that the early symptoms, which can appear in the majority of newly infected people, are similar to those found in many other common illnesses. 

These symptoms generally occur between two and six weeks after initial exposure, lasting up to four weeks and can include:

  • High fever
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Rash
  • Mouth ulcers
  • Diarrhoea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain

How is HIV Transmitted?

There is a high risk of HIV transmission if you have unprotected vaginal, or anal intercourse with someone who already has the HIV virus. It is possible, but less common for HIV to be transmitted through oral sex.

If you share needles or syringes with someone who is HIV positive, or you have sex with someone who does, then you are also at high risk of infection.

You can also become infected with HIV through blood transfusions. Now all blood in the UK is screened, so this has become much rarer.

What happens if I test positive?

If you test positive, do not worry, we are here to help you. Your Better2Know doctor will refer you to a specialist.  Better2Know is supported by the Terrence Higgins Trust.  The Trust is there to provide you with any support and advice you need.