Nick fears that it could damage efforts to end HIV transmission in the next 10 years: “It’s never, in my adult life, been harder to get an in-person HIV test. So we’ve got partial privatisation, leading to a worse health service, while investors are making money.” He added that the shift “isn’t the fault of the clinics” and said: “They are being defunded while London’s local authorities are handing over tens of millions to a private company to organise the at-home tests. They were hard fought for, they’re an exceptional example of excellent NHS preventative healthcare, and Covid is being used as an excuse to take them from us.” He lamented the collapse in in-person clinic appointments, adding: “These clinics have been so important, especially for LGBT people who don’t always get their health needs taken seriously elsewhere, as a place where they can talk about their experiences and their mental health, as well as getting a test which stops diseases like HIV spreading. These tests are not at all easy to do - many people like me can’t do them – and they also individualise the whole process.” Nick told MyLondon: “I’ve found it nearly impossible to get an in-person appointment this year – with almost all clinics saying you can’t get tested without symptoms anymore, and you have to do an at home test. In-person appointments for STI appointments are hard to come by after a pandemic-led shift to at-home testing (Image: Getty) READ MORE: City Hall flies lesbian pride flag as Sadiq Khan gives tips for being a 'lesbian ally' Many gay men are now encouraged to take PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a medicine which reduces the risk of contracting HIV but may make unprotected sex more common. Nick Dearden, a campaigner who is gay, is particularly concerned that the new home testing regime will lead to LGBTQ+ people testing less. At-home tests are now pushed extensively for Londoners who have mild or no symptoms, and slots for in-person clinic appointments are hard to come by. During the pandemic, Yorkshire firm Preventx was awarded a major contract to provide at-home testing kits for 31 London boroughs until at least 2023, as part of a massive shift away from in-person testing.īut MyLondon has been told that many Londoners find the tests - some of which involve filling up a vial of your own blood - difficult to do at home.
Londoners are struggling to get in-person appointments for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - sparking fears of a surge in case rates.