Testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is free and confidential and there are lots of different ways to get a test
Order a home test kit
If you have no symptoms, are aged 16 or over, and have a BN1/BN2/BN3 or BN41 postcode, you can order a free home test kit. For other post-codes please click here.
Visit a vending machine
If you have no symptoms and are aged 16 or over you can visit one of our eight vending machine sites across the city
Other ways to access our services
Under 25s
You can attend our walk-in clinic on Wednesday afternoon (1.30pm to 6pm) at SHAC Central or call us on 01273 523 388 for an appointment at SHAC East. For an appointment at SHAC West (Mon– Fri, 3pm to 5.45pm) text 07770813972 and a member of staff will reply as soon as possible. All C-Card sites also offer free home Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea test kits
Clinic M (men who have sex with men)
Wednesday evening (5pm to 8pm) at SHAC East. Call us on 01273 523 388 or book an appointment online (Log-in>Appointments>Sexual Health>Clinic M)
Clinic T (trans)
You can attend on Wednesday evening (5.30pm to 8pm) on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at SHAC East. To book an appointment call us on 01273 523 388 or use the contact us form
Phone line opening times:
| Monday | 9.15am to 4.30pm |
| Tuesday | 9.15am to 4.30pm |
| Wednesday | 12.30pm to 4.30pm |
| Thursday | 9.15am to 4.30pm |
| Friday | 9.15am to 4.30pm |
When should I get tested?
It’s beneficial for everyone who is sexually active to have an annual STI check and for some people it is a good idea to test every three months. To be absolutely sure that you don’t have an STI you need to consider the time it takes for an infection to show up on a test. This is referred to as the ‘window period’. STIs have different window periods. For chlamydia and gonorrhoea it is two weeks, for HIV it is 45 days and for syphilis it is up to 90 days. For example, if it’s been more than two weeks since you last had sex when you take your test, and the results are negative for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, then you can be sure you don’t have those infections
Testing within the window period
We understand it’s not always possible or practical to abstain from sex completely for the full length of time needed to cover all of the test window periods. If this is the case, we would recommend taking a further test at a later date to cover a specific risk, or testing every three months
