ABOUT STI TESTING

YOU CAN GO FOR A FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL HIV & STI TEST AT A SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC WHETHER YOU ARE A YOUNG PERSON OR AN ADULT AND YOUR PARENTS, FRIENDS, GP, PARTNER OR ANY ONE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER WILL NEVER KNOW UNLESS YOU WANT THEM TO.

• YOU CAN ALSO BRING A FRIEND WITH YOU IF YOU ARE NERVOUS OR JUST FOR SOME COMPANY AND SUPPORT.
• YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THE HEALTH ADVISOR REAMS OF INFORMATION ABOUT YOU - A NAME, AGE AND A CONTACT DETAIL IS ALL THAT MANY SERVICES NEED.
• IF YOU ARE UNDER 25 YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT LGBT YOUTH IN GLASGOW TO ARRANGE TO SPEAK TO A YOUTH WORKER FOR SOME REASSURANCE OR HAVE A YOUTH WORKER ACCOMPANY YOU TO A SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICE
• FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL HIV TESTS & SEXUAL HEALTH SCREENS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE SERVICES LISTED ON THE USEFUL LINKS PAGE.
• EVEN IF YOU ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP, STILL GO FOR REGULAR TESTING. SOME INFECTIONS CAN TAKE A WHILE TO BECOME SYMPTOMATIC OR NEVER SHOW SYMPTOMS. YOU MAY EVEN HAVE AN INFECTION AND NOT FEEL ILL. NO MATTER HOW FAITHFUL YOU THINK YOUR RELATIONSHIP IS, IT'S IN YOUR BEST INTERESTS TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR PARTNER SAFE.

STEVE RETSON PROJECT

THE STEVE RETSON PROJECT (SRP) IS A SEXUAL HEALTH SUPPORT & CLINIC SERVICE IN GLASGOW SPECIFICALLY FOR GAY & BISEXUAL MEN AND MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, IT IS A NON-JUDGEMENTAL AND PROFESSIONAL SEXUAL HEALTH CLINICAL SERVICE.

IF YOU USE THE SRP OR ANY OF THE OTHER CLINICS YOU CAN EITHER PHONE FOR AN APPOINTMENT OR YOU CAN ATTEND A WALK IN SERVICE WITH NO APPOINTMENT.

YOU WILL MEET A HEALTH ADVISOR WHO WILL DISCUSS THE TEST/S WITH YOU AND IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO AHEAD THEY WILL ARRANGE TO TAKE A SMALL AMOUNT OF BLOOD FOR TESTING AND MAY ASK YOU TO PROVIDE A URINE SAMPLE.

MOSTLY RESULTS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN TWO DAYS AND YOU CAN CHOOSE HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED ABOUT YOUR RESULTS.

YOU WILL ALWAYS BE OFFERED SUPPORT AND ADVICE WHETHER YOUR RESULT IS NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE.

YOU COULD ALSO ASK YOUR GP FOR AN HIV/STI TEST IF YOU PREFER. BE AWARE THAT TEST RESULTS PROVIDED BY YOUR GP WILL BE RECORDED ON YOUR MEDICAL NOTES.

WHAT IF MY TEST SHOWS I HAVE HIV OR ANY OTHER STI?

MANY STIS ARE FULLY CURABLE. IF YOU TEST POSITIVE FOR ANY STI, YOU WILL BE GIVEN TREATMENT FOR YOUR CONDITION. PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF STIs ARE FREE ON THE NHS.

ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO CURE FOR HIV IT IS NOW A VERY MANAGEABLE CONDITION AND THE EARLIER YOU FIND OUT ABOUT IT, THE BETTER THE HEALTH CARE THAT CAN BE PROVIDED FOR YOU.

MOST PEOPLE WITH HIV AND OTHER INCURABLE STIs SUCH AS HEPATITIS MANAGE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY AS USUAL WITH PROPER TREATMENT SO THERE IS A REAL HEALTH BENEFIT TO KNOWING YOUR STATUS. MANY PEOPLE CAN BE SHOCKED AND INITIALLY UPSET WHEN THEY FIND OUT THEY HAVE AN STI BUT MOST PEOPLE ADJUST WELL AND WITH THE RIGHT SUPPORT AND CARE CONTINUE TO LIVE FULL AND ACTIVE LIVES.

PEOPLE SOMETIMES FIND THE KNOWLEDGE GIVES THEM A STRONGER BASIS TO MAKE POSITIVE CHOICES ABOUT OTHER AREAS OF THEIR LIVES.

YOUR RESULT WILL NOT BE GIVEN TO THIRD PARTIES SUCH AS INSURANCE COMPANIES WHEN YOU GO TO A SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICE SUCH AS THOSE BASED IN THE SANDYFORD.

WHAT IF MY TEST SHOWS I DO NOT HAVE AN STI?

FINDING OUT THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE AN STI CAN BE A BIG RELIEF AND FOR MANY YOUNG MEN IT OFFERS A CHANCE TO RE-THINK AND TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR SEX, RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVE LIVES.

WHO CAN I TALK TO?

SOMETIMES PEOPLE CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE AN STI TEST BECAUSE THEY ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT THE RESULT AND WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN FOR THEM. IT CAN BE REALLY HELPFUL TO TALK ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT STI TESTING AND WHAT A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE RESULT MIGHT MEAN. IS THERE SOMEONE YOU ARE CLOSE TO THAT YOU’D FEEL HAPPY TALKING WITH ABOUT IT? COULD YOU TALK TO A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER OR PARTNER? ALTERNATIVELY YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK IT OVER WITH SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW.

THERE ARE MANY ORGANISATIONS YOU CAN TALK WITH CONFIDENTIALLY ABOUT HIV & STI TESTING, SUCH AS STEVE RETSON PROJECT, TERENCE HIGGINS TRUST SCOTLAND AND THE SANDYFORD INITIATIVE. A SELECTION OF DETAILS AND PHONE NUMBERS ARE LISTED ON OUR CONTACT AND LINKS PAGE.

CONDOMS & LUBE CAN BE PICKED UP AT MANY PLACES AT TIMES TO SUIT YOU. CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON THE C-CARD CONDOM DISTRIBUTION SCHEME IN GLASGOW.

WHOEVER YOU SPEAK TO, THINK ABOUT IT AND CONSIDER THE BENEFITS THAT KNOWING YOUR STI STATUS COULD BRING TO YOU.