Swinging and Sexual Health

[HealthySwinging]

Name changed for this.

I've been involved in the swinging scene for a while now and regularly get sexual health kit checks free on the NHS. In my area, they only tell you if there is an issue with your test, rather than if you're 'all clear'.

A few months ago I contracted chlamydia after a meet - condom failure. Prior to the meet he said he'd been tested, that he was clean and showed me the text that he'd sent off for a test. However, there is nothing to say he took / returned the test or he was clear. I appreciate he could've contracted chlamydia after his test.

Obviously someone can delete a message that says there's an infection - to pretend they're ok, but would be unlikely to do that if the result was ok.

I've also realised that my positive chlamydia result and subsequent antibiotic treatment wasn't shared with my GP (the sexual health clinic deal with everything independently), so there is no tracking on my medical records either.

AIBU to think if you have a sexual health test on the NHS they should message the result, positive or negative?

(Note - this op isn't about whether the NHS should provide free checks for swingers..)

It seems to be a general theme with all test results - only contacted if there’s an issue. Which leaves a gulf between silence meaning all fine and silence meaning sone breakdown in communication.

Waste of time to send one saying it’s negative. You could always pay privately though.

You really shouldn’t trust people showing you a text message with their results on though. It’s so easy to fake a text or letter using AI.

They only text the negative result / to say you've ordered a test in my area, so there's no other way to check. I can't make someone else pay for private test..

It feels a bit like 'silence means consent' - has the system worked, did the NHS get my test? You just don't know with no reply (this covers any result the NHS don't follow up on).

Surely it should be on the NHS app. Like any other test results. It's your information, you're entitled to see it.

It doesn't appear to be... I suppose I could call the GP to see if they ever got it, but everything does appear to be managed separately by the health clinic. Not sure if that's to encourage people to use the service.

I use SH.UK, they text me progress confirming receipt then that I have results with a link
Logging back in gives me my results complete with a history of previous results

From that I can generate a link to share (I could of course show my results, but a shared link is to the valid SH.UK site)
This link will give my name, date of test and results against each test

Previously I used the NHS GUM walk in clinic, that’s been quite some time, but I am convinced that I would get negative results in a similar way

I would be suspicious of someone claiming that no results equate to negative, and your situation backs up my suspicions

I think you should just thank your lucky stars it wasn’t HIV or hepatitis. I dread to think what % of swingers are riddled with 🤮🤮🤮

This is all we get in my area, unless it's positive.

You can’t force someone to use a specific test, paid or free. But you can also decline to swing without proof of results

Clinics don’t send results to your GP as standard due to confidentiality and also to encourage the use of the service, you may be able to opt in to GP notification

You’d be very surprised by the statistics as they don’t back your assumptions at all.

@HealthySwinging It must be area dependent as here the NHS do text results regardless of what they are.

I would be inclined to change clinic or switch to postable test kits with SH.UK or SHL.UK

Based on a google of CNWL it does say that you should get your results and lists an email
to chase if not received :

check your SMS results within 5 working days; if not received, email [email protected]

Just out of interest why was there any need to talk about your involvement in the swinging scene at all given the very peripheral relevance to the question you posed?

Judgy much?! I’d put money on people in that lifestyle being cleaner than the average Joe enjoying a fortnight in Ibiza.

And just so you know, I’m not a swinger, but contracted chlamydia from my first sexual partner who I lost my virginity to when I was 22. It can be caught by genital contact even if you wear a condom. I’d never had sex without a condom when I contracted it. It can happen to anyone.

Well it's not really peripheral is it - do you ask your partner to demonstrate they've had a test recently ?

It's called adding substance to the conversation.

I’d put money on the first reply, had she not mentioned it, asking why she needed a test because without the context it would be assumed it was a one off thing at the start of a new relationship or because her partner cheated.

Evidence is clear that swingers are more likely to take sexual health seriously, have more regular tests and use barrier protection than the general sex-having population.

Basically much more likely to get HIV or Hep B off your tinder date than in a swingers club!

Really? I Googled it and this was the first thing that came up:

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists studying swingers straight couples who regularly swap sexual partners and indulge in group sex at organized meeting say they have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than prostitutes.
Dutch researchers publishing their work in the British Medical Journal showed that older swingers those over the age of 45 are particularly vulnerable and yet are a group largely ignored by healthcare services.

My local SH clinic text with negative results. Only call if positive/ unable to complete test

Even though it's a low voting numbers so far, interesting to see the vote result isn't far off 50/50. I wonder if it would be different if I didn't mention swinging?

Thanks to a previous Op who pointed out I could call them - I've had 6 tests with this clinic and only ever had one response (the positive one). Last test sent back in March - no test result received.

Why don’t you simply not have sex with those people that don’t pay for private testing?
Just had a Google and it’s only £35 for a kit from Boots.

With the NHS struggling as it is, I think that people who knowingly take regular risks with their sexual health should pay privately. You are lucky it wasn’t something worse 🙄

My local sexual health clinic texts me the results, whether it is negative or positive.

Do you say the same to people who injure themselves in sports?

If a private test is positive then the NHS have to test anyway before prescribing treatment.

And it’s far more cost effective to the NHS to treat people early on, and also with many many sexual health clinics they’ll be giving advice and/or access to things like PrEP. That access is good for the NHS.

Absolutely nothing is worth risking your sexual health. Some things can't be cured.

Yes, I think test results should be communicated. If you don’t hear, you might worry there was an error, you weren’t contacted when you should have been etc.
And I doubt it’s a waste of time, it would be an automated negative test result text, or an automated positive test result text. People not getting texts probably waste time calling up to double check their test was negative rather than a missed text.