SH:24 Review

I was so impressed by this incredible service. I can think of endless reasons why. At the age of 38, I am reminded of how it felt to be an 18 year old student having to deal with the logistics of arranging a test. I think the whole experience has eliminated the shame and awkwardness that may put off many people from seeking help. My mother is a former Sexual Health nurse and could not believe it when I told her about this service absolutely fantastic!

Keep getting sent the wrong swabs or half a testing kit and I'm getting tired of it. Especially when all walk in services are closed due to covid and we are expected to rely on this service which frankly is not delivering . They need to get it together. Also it's a bit rich calling themselves sh:24 because it really isn't a 24/7 service unless you want to order half a testing kit... or a kit with the wrong swabs...

I was so relieved to find this fantastic service when I found myself in a complicated situation with difficult access to a clinic. The information provided is clear and to the point and the test kits are easy to use. The super quick response was just what I needed to put my mind to rest and be able to get on with life. Thank you!

Amazing service! Easy to order and very discreet delivery. Tests given full instructions in kit, nice and simple: quickly received results and put my mind at rest, can t fault the service!

Please read this and seriously consider before using this service...

(Edit: just to add to my review below, it seems incredibly strange that out of nowhere, after having no Google reviews at all before mine in years of existance, suddenly three 5 star reviews appear within a day, two of the reviewers with only one Google review, this one, as their first. The odds of this happening are surely very "unlikely", so I have reported those reviews to Google to review. Maybe they are now asking those that have had a smoother experience than me to leave reviews? Who knows. Very odd)

My review: it's hard to describe just how bad my experience was.

I decided to do an online test with the national testing service as my local sexual health clinic was difficult to get face to face appointments for. These tests are I assume facilitated by SH:24 as the contact I received since was signed off with "SH:24".

I am in a low risk group and did not expect to have any STIs, my behaviour and location etc would not put me at risk and it was merely a step to be prudent.

I knew in advance from the instructions that receiving a text message meant I was clear, and also the instructions stated that if I was reactive I would get a telephone call.

...instead I got a text asking me a suitable time to call. So not as per the guidance at all. I also got no reply to my text.

I had a whole evening of excruciating anxiety waiting to speak to someone the next day after several chaser texts and calls again.

When I finally spoke to someone I was told my test results were reactive for HIV. Cue unbelievable anxiety like you cannot imagine.

I asked what the likelihood was of my results being false negative and I had no data forthcoming other than that there had been a "spike" of reactives recently when pushed. Eventually I received a text message to say that the lab gave me a score (with no scale or guidance to what this means) which apparently was "very weakly reactive" and "likely non specific reactivity". Although the individual I spoke to was professional, I effectively still had no outcome whatsoever and completely vague info to go from. "Likely" or "unlikley" is not an acceptable outcome to communicate.

They were unable to arrange me an appointment at a clinic and instead I needed to do this myself.

When I did I got an appointment at a clinic a few days later on I was counselled by a fantastic nurse in person who was realistic about both outcomes and fast tracked proper testing. The following day I found out I was not HIV positive, called in person by the counsellor, a few days later got the all clear on every other test.

My life came back together again.

For 7 days I genuinely thought the worst, I had no support, no data, no counselling, and worst of all no clear outcome. Just like the counsellor at the sexual health clinic, I would not recommend online/postal testing to anyone unless you can bare the agonising week or more of anxiety that your results are not accurate, and that you will be communicated with in a way that is different to how it is laid out, and in a way that requires your pushing to get any info at all.

I wonder what the true false positive rate is? I spent 7 days reading hundreds of journal articles and white and grey papers and couldn't find anything of note or accuracy. I text them back to say I was clear and they said thank you, then a week later they asked me by text what my clinic results were. So I have no idea what they are recording and what they are not.

My suggestion, just go to your local sexual health clinic, direct to the professionals in person, no matter how hard it is to get the appointment.

A fantastic service, so easy to use, gave me reassurance without having to wait for a clinic appointment. I was feeling worried about STIs after some recent hook ups, got really worried one night so just ordered online. Test kit came in post, really easy to use and then got my results by text. It's a nightmare for me to go to the clinic due to work so this is such a great service. They also helped when I had a question, got a great answer from one of their nurses. Thank you!