Free Postal Test Kits
If you don’t have any symptoms, live in Wirral and are aged 16 plus, it may be easier for you to test for STIs from home, with one of our free postal STI test kits.
Aged 16 and under? STI testing is available from any of our clinics.
Order your free postal test kit today from SH:24
Sexual Health Wirral works in partnership with SH:24 to provide free online STI tests and *chlamydia treatment to anyone living in Wirral, aged 16 or over *treatment for postal tests only
- The test kits have different options that can help you test for a number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
- We have different kit types that support you to take samples from different areas of your body - urine , vaginal swab, rectal swab and pharyngeal (throat ) swab (triple site test) for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, plus the added offer of blood sample for HIV and Syphilis testing. The SH:24 pathway will help advise which kit type is best for you.
- All kits will arrive in a discrete, unmarked grey plastic envelope, and are dispatched by Royal Mail either the same or next working day. They come with all of the equipment you need , easy to follow instructions and are simple to do . A freepost envelope is provided to securely post your samples back to our laboratory, and no personal details are included on your returned samples.
- Results are returned within 3 working days of your kit arriving at the lab, and most people receive their results within 24 hours. These are usually via text message, unless we need to speak to you. Your text will come from SH:24.
- If you test positive for Chlamydia via a postal test kit, SH:24 will also be able to offer you free treatment by post. For any other positive infections, SH:24’s clinical team will support you into accessing one of Sexual Health Wirral’s clinics, where we will be able to support you with confirmation testing and treatment, as needed.
You can get support from SH:24’s dedicated clinical team, 7 days a week by replying to any of the text messages from SH:24. Support is also available by email: sh24.info@nhs.net
STI window periods - helping you know when is best to get tested
The window period is the time between when a person comes in contact with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and when the STI will show up on a test.
It is important to consider the window period when getting tested. Tests done too early may not be accurate. The time will vary from a few days to six months depending on the infection and the test. You can pass on an STI during the window period.
Find out the window periods for different STIs to help you know when you need to get tested.
How does postal testing work?
SH:24 test kits are easy to use and come with all the information and support you need to complete your test, with results returned quickly and discretely to your mobile phone.
You can find out more about how the postal test kits work by checking out SH:24’s STI information page.
SH:24 also has a list of some of the most frequently asked questions about online STI tests - take a look at the FAQs.
If you have any other questions about using SH:24’s postal testing kits, you can email their clinical team at sh24.info@nhs.net