Written by: Dr Kishan Dattani, Medical Doctor, specialist interest in Women's Health and Preventative Medicine, Private Medical Clinic
At Private Medical Clinic, private STI testing costs £295 for our STI Early Detection screen and £495 for our STI Complete screen, both with next-day results. The right screen for you depends mainly on timing since exposure and how comprehensive a panel you want, since some infections only become detectable after a certain number of days.
If HIV is your main concern rather than a full screen, our HIV testing page covers HIV-specific pricing and timing separately. Across the wider UK private testing market, prices vary widely by format: postal home-testing kits typically range from around £30 for a basic screen to under £200 for a comprehensive one, while in-clinic testing with a consultation generally runs from about £49 for a basic screen up to £250 for a full screen, with same-day or instant-result services costing more, often £250 to £349. Private Medical Clinic panels sit toward the upper end of the in-clinic range, reflecting a broader panel of less commonly tested infections such as bacterial vaginosis and ureaplasma alongside the core screen.
A few other infections are tested individually outside these two panels, rather than bundled into either screen: genital warts (HPV), thrush, and general vaginal discharge investigation. Worth booking separately if these are your specific concern rather than a broader panel.
Both screens include sample collection, laboratory processing, and next-day results, so you're not choosing between speed and thoroughness. STI Early Detection is designed for testing soon after a potential exposure, within 10 days, and covers the infections that are reliably detectable in that window. STI Complete is designed for testing after 10 days and adds HIV and hepatitis B and C to the panel, since these require a longer window after exposure to be picked up reliably. Our guide to HIV and its symptoms and HIV testing explain more about why that longer window matters. Results come with next-day turnaround rather than a longer wait, and a clinician is available to discuss what a positive result means and next steps for treatment or partner notification.
The screen price is usually the whole cost, but a few things can add to the total. If a result comes back positive and needs treatment, for example antibiotics for a bacterial infection, that prescription and any follow-up consultation is arranged and charged separately from the test itself. If you need a doctor's letter confirming a negative result, for travel, a new relationship, or another purpose, that may also carry a small additional fee depending on what's required.
The main driver is how many infections are being tested for and how the sample is analysed; a basic two or three-infection screen is always going to cost less than a comprehensive panel covering eight or more. Format matters too: a postal home-testing kit is generally cheaper than an in-clinic visit, since it doesn't include a face-to-face consultation or same-visit sample collection. Turnaround speed is the other major factor, standard next-day or 2-3 day results cost less than same-day or instant-result services, which command a premium across the market.
STI testing is available completely free through several NHS routes. Sexual health clinics, also called GUM clinics, offer walk-in or appointment-based testing in every major town and city, testing for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B, with results typically back in one to two weeks. Many areas also offer free NHS postal testing kits through services such as SH:24 or Fettle, depending on where you live, covering similar infections with results in a few working days. You don't need to give your real name at most walk-in clinics, and testing is available regardless of GP registration or immigration status. The main trade-off with the free NHS route is turnaround time and, for postal kits, local availability; private testing is largely about getting a faster, more comprehensive result on your own schedule.
You'll book an appointment and provide a sample, typically blood and/or a swab depending on which infections are being tested for, either in clinic or via a kit depending on the service. Samples are sent for laboratory analysis, and results are typically available the next working day. If anything comes back positive, a clinician will contact you to discuss the result, explain what it means, and arrange treatment or a referral if needed, along with guidance on informing any partners who may need testing themselves.
People who want fast, discreet results rather than waiting one to two weeks for an NHS clinic appointment are the most common reason we see. It's also a reasonable option for anyone who wants a broader panel than a standard NHS screen covers, for people starting a new relationship who want a comprehensive check beforehand, or for anyone whose symptoms or exposure timing means they'd rather not wait for a walk-in slot. If you're working through what's fact and what's myth before booking, our guide to common myths about sexual health is a good starting point.
That depends mainly on how much speed and comprehensiveness matter to you. The NHS route is genuinely free and thorough for the core infections it covers, so if you're not in a hurry and your local sexual health clinic has reasonable availability, it remains a solid option. Private testing earns its cost mainly through turnaround time, next-day results rather than one to two weeks, and a broader panel covering infections not always included in a standard NHS screen. For anyone who needs an answer quickly, for peace of mind, a new relationship, or before travel, that trade-off is usually worthwhile.
You can book private STI testing directly through our sexual health testing page, choosing either Early Detection or Complete depending on your exposure timing. Full pricing for this and our other services is listed on our fees page.
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Get in touch with any questions, or browse our FAQs for more general queries.
At Private Medical Clinic, STI Early Detection costs £295 and STI Complete costs £495, both with next-day results. Across the wider UK market, prices range from around £30 for a basic postal home kit to £349 for a comprehensive same-day clinic screen.
Yes. NHS sexual health clinics offer free walk-in or appointment-based testing across the UK, and many areas also offer free postal testing kits through services such as SH:24 or Fettle. You don't need to give your real name at most walk-in clinics.
It depends on the infection. Some, like chlamydia and gonorrhoea, can be detected within days to two weeks, while others, including HIV, need a longer window, often around 28 days, to be reliably detected. Private Medical Clinic Early Detection screen is designed for under 10 days since exposure, with STI Complete recommended after that.
STI Complete includes HIV testing as part of a broader panel. If you specifically want HIV testing on its own, our HIV testing page covers that pricing separately.
Yes. Results are shared directly and confidentially with you, and the same confidentiality standards that apply across private healthcare in the UK apply to sexual health testing.
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