Online STI test scheme drives up screening in city

15 hours ago

Eleanor LawsonWest Midlands

Last year, residents in Wolverhampton made 7,549 requests for a home test

Getty Images A stock photo of a hand wearing blue medical gloves, holding a small test tube with a red substance in it. A white label on the bottle reads 'STI - Test'. Underneath the hand is a white form with a box on it ticked against the 'Sexually Transmitted Infection' box. — Last year, residents in Wolverhampton made 7,549 requests for a home test

Wolverhampton is seeing a sharp rise in testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which the council and local NHS trust has put down to an online testing programme.

City of Wolverhampton Council has been working with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and the city's sexual health service, Embrace, to promote testing which can be done at home via online booking.

They say this helps to remove barriers such as clinic opening hours, travel and stigma; therefore reaching people who might not otherwise get tested.

Last year, residents made 7,549 requests for a home test. According to the council and NHS trust, testing rates in the city now outstrip averages for the West Midlands and England.

And while more tests were being carried out, the actual proportion of positive results had fallen, the organisations said.

They believe this points to more residents testing regularly and getting treated earlier, helping to reduce the spread of infections, and supporting better overall sexual health across the city.

Councillor Obaida Ahmed, council cabinet member for health, wellbeing and community, said: "Increasing STI screening is essential in order to reduce infections and improve sexual health – and these results show that when you make testing easy, people will use it.

"By expanding access and giving people more choice in how they get tested – either from the comfort of home or at a clinic – we are increasing uptake and speeding up diagnosis and treatment.

"This in turn is helping us detect infections earlier and reduce transmission in the wider community."

People can order free home STI tests by visiting the Embrace website, but clinics also remain open for testing, advice and treatment.

Wolverhampton also offers free condoms for young people via a scheme providing them through youth clubs, pharmacies, schools, health centres and young people's services across the city.

People who are aged 19 to 24 and registered with Wolverhampton C Card can also order free condoms by post via Embrace, while over 25s can access free condoms by visiting a clinic.

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