09 September 25

ACON Westie

Keeping it Real with Testing

Why get tested?

Getting tested is a simple way to look after your health and the health of your partners. Tests can check for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis.

Testing is quick, confidential, usually painless, and often free. Thanks to advances in medicine, most STIs are curable, and HIV is manageable with treatment.

Benefits of testing include:

• Protect your health: Many STIs don’t show symptoms, so you might have one and not know. The only way to be sure is to test, and treatment works best when started early.
• Protect your partners: Knowing your status helps you take steps to keep others safe.
• Peace of mind: Regular testing helps you enjoy your sex life without worry.
• Free: There’s a free option for everyone, with or without Medicare.

When should I test?

For men who have sex with men

• Every 3 months if sexually active
• Any time you notice unexplained genital symptoms
• After a partner is diagnosed with an STI
• At least once a year if in a monogamous relationship or not sexually active

For everyone else

• At least once a year (more often if sexually active with multiple partners, up to 4 times a year)
• Any time you notice unexplained genital symptoms
• After a partner is diagnosed with an STI
• When starting a new relationship

Test at the right time

It’s tempting to test right after a risky encounter to ease your mind. However, it’s important to keep in mind the window period.

The window period is the time between infection and when a test can reliably detect it. Testing too early can give a negative result even if you’re infected, because the virus or bacteria hasn’t reached a level where the test can pick it up.

Each STI has a different window period:

• HIV: 2-6 weeks (standard blood test), up to 3 months (self-test kits).
• Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea: 1-2 weeks.
• Syphilis: Up to 12 weeks.

If you’ve just had a risky encounter, it’s still a good idea to see a doctor or clinic straight away. They can give advice, check for other STIs, and talk about options like PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) for HIV if it’s within 72 hours of exposure.

Even if your first test comes back negative, you may need to test again later – depending on the infection and when the exposure happened.

In short, testing too soon may not give you the full picture, but testing regularly ensures you’ll know your status and get treatment early, if needed.

What do I test for?

A routine STI check usually includes tests for:

• HIV
• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhoea
• Syphilis
• Hepatitis B if you haven’t been vaccinated.

Some GPs may assume your sexual activities and not test for all routine STIs, so be sure to ask for them to test for all the STIs listed above.

Depending on your sexual activity, tests may involve:

• A urine sample
• A swab from your throat, anus, and/or genitals
• A blood sample

When you don’t have symptoms, urine and swab samples can be collected yourself. That means you don’t need any kind of genital examination to get reliable STI results.

How do get I tested?

General Practitioner (GP)

Pros	Cons
Accessible: GPs are widely available across Sydney. All-in-one: Testing, treatment, follow-up, and referrals can all be managed in one place. GPs can also prescribe PrEP. Cost: Bulk-billing available with Medicare (at some clinics). Regular: Having a regular GP means you are in the care of someone who knows your medical history and can provide more tailored support.	Knowledge: Not all GPs are comfortable or knowledgeable about sexual health or LGBTQ+ health. Some may be judgmental. Privacy: May feel less private, especially in small communities or if they are your family doctor. Cost: Fees may apply if the GP doesn’t bulk bill or if you don’t have Medicare.

 

STI testing can be done as part of your usual healthcare with a GP or nurse.

If you have Medicare and the GP bulk bills, your appointment and testing can be free. Otherwise, there will be a cost. If you don’t have Medicare, your local sexual health centre or a[TEST] may be a more affordable option (more info below).

Some GPs may not specialise in sexual health testing, so it’s a good idea to check that they are including all routine STI tests (HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis) and collecting all relevant samples.

Sexual Health Centre

Pros	Cons
Cost: Free, even without Medicare. Expert: Staff specialise in sexual health – very knowledgeable and non-judgmental. Private: Services are discreet and confidential; you don’t have to use your real name. Extra Services: Many centres also provide vaccinations, treatment, and post-exposure prophylaxis. They can prescribe PrEP for people without Medicare.	Limitations: Opening hours are more limited than GPs, and most are closed on weekends. Centres may not be available in all areas. Capacity: Clinics can be busy, which may mean longer wait times or that some clients are prioritised.

 

Sexual health centres across NSW provide free STI testing and treatment to priority groups*, even for people without Medicare. These services are run by staff who specialise in sexual health.

As each clinic has different capacity, they have their own systems to decide who they can see and who gets seen first. It’s best to contact your local clinic to check if their services are right for you.

Sexual health centres in Western Sydney include:

• Liverpool Sexual Health Clinic
• Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre (Parramatta Clinic)
• Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre (Mount Druitt Clinic)
• Nepean Sexual Health and HIV Service

If you would like to see the inside of a sexual health centre, watch the video tour of the Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre in Parramatta below.

 

@aconwestie

Check out the clinic in Western Sydney! The best part? It's in Parramatta and completely FREE + no Medicare needed! Call 02 9843 3124 to book your appointment now!

♬ original sound – ACON Westie

There are also sexual health clinics outside of Western Sydney (see list here).

*Usually, priority groups include:

People living with HIV	Men who have sex with men
Sexual partner of men who have sex with men	Sex workers
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people	Trans and gender diverse people
Young people	People who inject drugs
Someone identified as contact of certain STIs	People in urgent need of STI related care

a[TEST]

Pros	Cons
Cost: Free, even without Medicare. Peer: Talk with fellow men who have sex with men. Staff specialise in sexual health – very knowledgeable and non-judgmental. Private: Services are discreet and confidential; you don’t need to use your real name.	Far away: No clinics in Western Sydney; all are based in Sydney CBD. Eligibility: Only available to gay, bi+, and queer men (cis and trans) who are not experiencing symptoms. In most cases, you cannot be tested if you’ve already tested within the last three months. Limited service: a[TEST] does not provide treatment or prescribe PrEP.

 

a[TEST] is ACON’s free sexual health testing service for gay, bi+, queer men, and other men who have sex with men.

It’s a peer-testing service, which means you first speak with another gay, bi+, or queer man who is trained in sexual health before seeing a nurse. This creates a comfortable, peer-to-peer space and is a great opportunity to ask questions you might not feel comfortable asking a doctor or nurse.

a[TEST] currently operates at three Sydney locations: Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, and Newtown. There are currently no a[TEST] sites in Western Sydney.

Self-test

Pros	Cons
Cost: Free, even without Medicare. Accessible: Can be ordered online or picked up from vending machines across Western Sydney. Private: Discreet and confidential; can be done at home. Helpful if you feel anxious about face-to-face testing. Fast: Results in about 15 minutes.	HIV only: Does not test for other STIs. Follow-up: A positive result still requires a doctor’s confirmation and treatment. Window period: Longer than clinic-based tests. Detects your HIV results as of 3 months ago.

 

A HIV self-test is a small finger-prick blood test that you can do yourself at home (or elsewhere), with results in about 15 minutes.

The kit comes with easy-to-follow instructions, but it’s important to know that self-test kits only test for HIV, not for other routine STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, or syphilis.

They also work with a longer window period, meaning they can only detect HIV acquired more than three months ago. In comparison, clinic-based HIV tests can detect HIV after about six weeks.

If you receive a positive result, you will still need to follow up with a doctor for a confirmatory blood test and treatment.

Self-tests are a useful option if you want something discreet and accessible, or as an extra check between regular clinic-based tests.

How to get a free HIV self-test kit:

• MyTest: A NSW Health program offering free HIV self-test kits through vending machines. Simply scan a QR code with your smartphone, follow the short instructions, and the machine will release a kit.
• Order online: You can order a free kit online for delivery to your home, or arrange pick-up at your local post office.

Summary

	GPs	Sexual Health Centre	a[TEST]	Self-test
Eligibility	Everyone	Priority groups	Gay, bi+, queer men (cis and trans), 18+	Everyone 18+
Cost	May apply	Free	Free	Free
LGBTQ+ friendly	Depends on doctor	✔️	✔️	✔️
Confidential	✔️*	✔️	✔️	✔️
Location	All around Sydney	All around Sydney	Oxford St, Surry Hills, Newtown	All around Sydney**
Prescribes PrEP	✔️	✔️***	❌	❌
Tests for routine STIs	✔️	✔️	✔️	HIV only
Treats STIs	✔️	✔️	❌	❌

*May feel less private with family doctors

**Home delivery available

***For people WITHOUT Medicare only at some clinics

Getting your results

How long it takes

Most STI results are ready within a few days, but some may take up to two weeks depending on the test and where you went. Clinics will usually let you know how you’ll get your results – by SMS, phone call, or follow-up appointment.

Many services go by a ‘no news is good news’ policy, which means if you don’t hear back from them, your tests are all negative. Testing services will contact you if they need to follow up. If you don’t hear back from them, you can also contact them to follow up.

If I test negative

A negative result means no infection was detected at the time of testing.

If you tested too soon after a possible exposure, you may need to re-test later because of the window period.

Keep testing regularly to stay on top of your health.

You can also explore other prevention tools like PrEP, condoms, and vaccinations (for Hepatitis A, B, and HPV).

If I test positive

It’s normal to feel worried, but you’re not alone. Getting a positive result means you can take steps to look after your health and your partners.

Your clinic or GP will guide you through treatment and support.

Most STIs are curable with simple medication, and HIV is manageable with daily treatment –people with HIV on treatment can live long, healthy lives and cannot pass it on (U=U).

Your clinic may also talk to you about letting partners know, but they can support you with this process – you don’t have to do it alone.

Remember: Testing is about empowerment. Whatever your result, it gives you the information you need to take care of yourself and your community.

 

For all the latest info on how to keep it real in the area, follow ACON Westie on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.