Customer Experience

UK service deploys sexual health test vending machines

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October 24, 2022

Unity Sexual Health, a sexual health service provided by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust in Bristol, U.K., has installed vending machines offering test kits for sexually transmitted diseases in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bristol, according to a press release.

Two types of test kits are available from the vending machines. One is for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis. The other is an HIV mouth swab testing kit made available for free by Unity Sexual Health Clinic for the first time.

The first test kit will allow a user to send their sample to a lab for free and have the results texted in one to three weeks. Those using the HIV test kit will swab the inside of their cheek and get the result in 20 minutes.

The user will need to answer questions at the machine and enter a code sent to their mobile phone.