What happens after an HIV test?

What happens after my test?

If you have had your tests results and the results were positive, these will need to be confirmed.

If confirmed you will be referred to an HIV clinic where a doctor and health advisor will be responsible fo your future care. Information about what to do if your result is positive.

If the results were negative, then you may be told to have a confirmatory test in a few months time.

It is rare for the confirmatory test to be positive, but this is important to rule out late seroconversion.

What if I still think I have HIV?

A few people test many times after one exposure. Even when the results are all negative they refuse to believe the results.

Sometimes the anxiety causes symptoms that someone mistakenly thinks are related to HIV.

In these cases psychological help or counselling from NHS doctors or nurses is more appropriate than further tests.

If you have had more than one test and all results are negative, without any additional exposures, then you do not have HIV.

Last updated: 1 June 2021.