Private HIV Testing for Men and Women

MUMS offer private and confidential sexual health testing 6 days a week at our clinic in Solihull. We offer a wide range of HIV Testing.

You can choose to have HIV testing at MUMS with:

• Health Care Assistant - £35
• Private GP - £120

HIV Tests and costs:

• Early Detection – 10 days post exposure - HIV  £220
• 28-day post exposure HIV Duo test costs £85
• Rapid HIV test with results in clinic costs £95

HIV testing is also included in our combined STI multiple tests.

Private testing lets you get tested confidentially or anonymously, with faster results.

MUMS Early detection (10 days post exposure) test and HIV Duo (28 days post exposure) – takes 2 days for a result.

We use an accredited laboratory for accurate testing.

More accurate early testing (lab-based blood tests)

MUMS 20 min test provides an almost instant result but if positive requires a laboratory confirmatory test so we recommend a laboratory test but understand that some patients may still want an instant result.

HIV

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

It is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically CD4 (T) cells, which help the body fight infections. If HIV is not treated, it weakens the immune system over time.

Key points about HIV

What it does:
HIV damages the immune system, making it harder to fight off infections and certain cancers.

How it spreads:
HIV is transmitted through:

• Unprotected vaginal or anal sex
• Sharing needles or syringes
• Blood transfusions with infected blood (rare in most countries)
• From mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding (without treatment)

It is not spread by casual contact like hugging, kissing, sharing food, or mosquito bites.

Symptoms:

• Early stage: flu-like symptoms (fever, sore throat, rash) or no symptoms
• Long term: may have no symptoms for years while the virus damages the immune system

HIV vs AIDS:

HIV is the virus

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is the advanced stage of HIV when the immune system is severely damaged

With modern treatment, most people with HIV never develop AIDS

Treatment:
There is no cure, but antiretroviral therapy (ART) allows people with HIV to live long, healthy lives and prevents transmission to others when the virus is suppressed.

Prevention:

• Condoms
• PrEP (medicine to prevent HIV)
• PEP (emergency medicine after possible exposure)
• Regular testing

Knowing your HIV status can protect your health and the health of others. Regular testing and retesting are advised if you continue to be at risk. A repeat test is recommended with every partner change.

Incubation, results, and re-test

The incubation time and results turnaround time vary depending on which test is performed:

10-day HIV tests have an incubation period of 10 days. 

28-day HIV tests have an incubation period of 28 days. 

There are several rapid HIV tests available which have different incubation periods and different times taken to run the test.  Our instant rapid HIV test is an anti-body test which has a 45-day incubation period and takes 20 minutes to give an accurate reading.

What to do if the test is positive

There is currently no cure for HIV or AIDS.

Nowadays – HIV is not life threatening if it is detected early and managed by a specialist.

People with HIV who take treatment will remain healthy and should have a normal life expectancy.

Treatment consists of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), and advances continue to be made improving both quality of life and prognosis. 

MUMS is a specialist Consultant-led private medical practice based in Solihull, Birmingham. Please call us on 0121 704 2669 for further information.

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