Minister extends pilot STI project

A HYWEL Dda Health Board pilot project which allows people to test themselves at home for chlamydia and gonorrhoea has been extended by Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething.

The Test and Post (TAP) project run by Hywel Dda University Health Board, Public Health Wales and Signum Health, and funded by Welsh Government, began in November 2018 as a means of enabling people to carry out a home STI test and post their samples to a laboratory for analysis without having to attend a sexual health clinic.

People using the service are initially asked to complete an online questionnaire which is designed to screen out individuals who may not be showing any symptoms.

The service has so far allowed £24,353 to be re-directed within the Sexual Health Service to meet demand, so that the impact of sexually transmitted infections is minimised both through treatment to reduce transmission and also to reduce any long term complications in individuals.

Minister for Health Vaughan Gething said: “The initial pilot has been positively received by those using the service.

“TAP has demonstrated that online testing provides a valuable service for patients who may not otherwise attend sexual health services.”