Free Syphilis Test Kit by Post

Description: Get checked for syphilis with a free home self-sampling test from SHL. Take your own blood sample at home, post it to our lab to be tested, and get your confidential results online.

You prick your finger with a special needle called a lancet. Then collect some drops of blood in the sample tube. We have lots of tips to help you collect your blood sample. It’s a very small amount of blood and most people can manage it.

Availability: All registered SHL users can order up to 4 home self-sampling test kits a year.

Delivery: £0.00 Free delivery to your home or another London address. Always in a plain discreet package that fits through the letterbox.

Returning your samples is free too. Put them in the prepaid box and then post in any Royal Mail postbox.

STI Kit Cost: £0.00 Free.

Results: You’ll usually get your results 2 or 3 days after your sample arrives at our lab. We’ll text or email when they’re ready. You can see them online in your SHL account. They’re completely secure and private.

When you order your kit, we ask if you have a history of syphilis. It’s possible to get syphilis more than once. If you’ve had syphilis before and you have a reactive (positive) test, one of the SHL team may contact you to talk through the result.

More about what SHL test results mean

Treatment: If you have a new syphilis infection, you’ll be offered free NHS treatment. You’ll need to get your treatment from a sexual health clinic.

Consultation: Our online consultation checks if a home self-sampling syphilis test is right for you. We may also offer you other STI tests. Some tests need different samples, like a urine sample or vaginal swab.

Syphilis

• Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria
• Syphilis rates in London are higher than in the rest of the UK
• Many people with syphilis don’t notice any symptoms – getting tested is the only way to know if you have it
• If you do have symptoms, it's best to get tested at a sexual health clinic
• Syphilis can be cured with antibiotics
• If syphilis is not treated and cured early, it can spread through the body and may lead to serious health problems
• If you have syphilis, current and past sexual partners need to get tested too, and may need treatment
  

Do I need a syphilis test?

Anyone sexually active can get syphilis. Consider testing for syphilis if you:

• Notice any symptoms that may be syphilis. This can include a skin sore (often on the genital or anal area), a sore in the mouth, a rash, a flu-like illness and even problems with hearing or vision
• Have sex without using condoms
• Have a new sexual partner
• Have multiple sexual partners
• Want to stop using condoms with your partner (in which case both of you should get tested)
• Have another STI, or a sexual partner has an STI
• Are pregnant or planning to get pregnant. If you’re already pregnant, you’ll be offered a free syphilis test as part of your early pregnancy care

It can be a good idea to test for syphilis and other STIs at least once a year or after a change in partner, especially if you have sex without a condom. Some people may be advised to test more often.

You don’t usually need to get tested if:

• you have just one long-term partner and
• you both only have sex with each other and
• you’ve both tested for STIs since you’ve been together.

When’s the best time to get a syphilis test?

• If you have no symptoms and you’re not worried about any recent sexual activity, you can test at any time.
• Testing because of recent sexual activity? It can take up to 3 months for syphilis to show up on a test, so if you test now, you may need another test a few months later. More about when to test.
• If you have syphilis symptoms or a sexual partner has syphilis, get tested straight away. Check if you can order a free home self-sampling kit. If you have any new ulcers or sores, we recommend you get checked for syphilis at a sexual health service instead of doing a home self-sampling test.
• If you’re pregnant, it’s important to do a syphilis test whenever there’s a chance you may have been exposed to syphilis.

Register and order your free STI testing kit