Terrence Higgins Trust’s Chief Executive, Sir Nick Partridge, comments on the new Public Health Outcomes Framework published today: “”Poor sexual health is a major concern in the UK so it’s vitally important there are specific indicators for both HIV and chlamydia screening. Whilst undiagnosed chlamydia can cause infertility and affects as many as nearly 1 in 15 young people, late diagnosed HIV causes severe ill health, further HIV infections and an earlier death.

“These two indicators will tell us whether we are getting our sexual health prevention messages right and whether we are getting enough people through the doors to test. They also give us an opportunity to refresh what we are doing on sexual health in communities, focus on specific local needs and tie approaches in more closely with other public health problems like alcohol and drugs misuse.”

Better2Know provides confidential private STD testing (including chlamydia and HIV) at over 60 sites across the UK. We do not need your real name, and our results are the fastest possible.

Leading HIV charities have claimed that the support offered by London Local Authourities is not sufficient for the HIV+ population. The commissioning of services for the HIV+ population has been said in a report to have “no clear strategy”. There is a budget of £3.2m funded by the Local Authourities for the Pan London HIV Prevention Programmee (PLHPP)

HIV treatment in London currently costs £500m a year and supports 30,000 people, with the PLHPP focussing on gay men and African communities. The number of HIV+ people in London is rising by 5% (1,500 people) a year, and services need to grow to meet this demand, over half of those who are newly diagnosed are hetrosexual people. 26% of people who are HIV+ do not know their status which means 10,500 people may be havng unsafe sex and be spreading the virus.

To book your HIV Test in London please follow the link.

For more information see the full story by clicking here.

The treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections has moved on almost as much as the name we use to describe them: Venereal Diseases (VD) Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) etc.

Syphilis in the 1400s was rife across Europe and as many as 10% of all men carried the disease (which can be fatal) by the 19th Century. Syphilis was associated with the use of prostitutes and gay sex and carried such a social stigma that most carriers did not want to consider treatment for fear of social disgrace. This secretive nature helped the disease spread.

Most soldiers were aware of the consequences of sexual activity, but it did not seem to stop them. During the First World War (1914-1918) there were over half a million hospital admissions for STIs. Syphilis infection rates remained high during the Second World War (1939-1945), but the advent of penicillin helped to treat this disease.

Public health prevention services concentrated on the military and prostitutes not coming into contact with each other in attempt to limit the spread of the disease, as it was these groups which had the highest infection rates.

The treatment used to be the application of mercury which has a number of distressing side effects and was of limited effectiveness, a drug called Salvarsan was developed in the early 1900s.

Syphilis can be easily and quickly detected in a blood test which takes less than one day to run in the laboratory. Happily these days, once identified it can be easily treated and death is preventable.

Book your syphilis test today with Better2Know as part of our Peace of Mind Test or Full Screen.

Five reasons to make getting an STD screen your New Year Resolution:

1 You have had unprotected sex at a Christmas party
2 You want to get pregnant in 2012, and want to make TOTALLY sure you will not pass anything on to your baby
3 Because you are sexually active and it has been over a year since your last screen
4 You want to stop using condoms with your new partner (don’t we all) but want to be responsible and get checked first
5 You care about yourself and your health and its the responsible thing to do!

Don’t worry, at Better2Know we understand why you are worried. Our network of private clinics sees hundreds of people every day. Most of them are there for something else, so no one will know you are there for an STD check. Our doctors do this every day and are just there to answer your questions, they won’t lecture you or patronise you. You do not have to give your real name at any point when you book (even for payment), we don’t need to know where you live, and we won’t tell your GP.

Our results are amonst the fastest and most accurate in the UK to get you Peace of Mind as quickly as possible!

We have over 60 clinics nationwide, our booking line is open now, and you can choose only the tests you think you need, or a full STD screen.

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is one of the leading (but not only) causes of Cervical Cancer. The exact number of HPVs is not known, but there are over 40. These are mostly thought of as low risk which can cause genital warts and high risk if they might lead to Cervical Cancer. Very few are considered high risk. The risk level relates to the likelihood you will develop Cervical Cancer not how risky your sexual activity is.

If you have an HPV, do not panic about cancer, it is thought that 83% of sexually active women will get an HPV, and most women do not get Cervical Cancer. Knowing that you have an HPV and then keeping your immune system healthy can prevent reoccurrence. There is no cure for HPV but most immune system can keep the virus suppressed within two years of infection. It is when your body cannot suppress the virus that it may cause changes in the cervix which may then lead to cancer.

Cervical cancer is very slow to develop and can be detected on a PAP smear test, and early detection is key to successful treatment. If you are a sexually active women and have not had a PAP smear for three years, Better2Know can arrange one for you.

The Department of Health in the UK now recommends Gardasil as a vaccine against four HPV that cause genital warts and cervical cancer.

You can reduce your risk of Cervical Cancer from HPV if:
You are older when you first have sex
You have a monogamous relationships/ few sexual partners
Use Condoms
Get vaccinated
Have regular PAP smear tests

Better2Know is the UKs largest private provider of STD tests. We can test for all HPVs and other STDs. We have clinics across the UK and we do not need your real name to book an appointment. Call us today on 0844 561 0750.

For more information click here.

There has been a sharp rise in the number of syphilis cases in heterosexual teenagers in the UK. Clusters are being seen in Teesside, Hampshire, Rochdale and Scotland.

It can take months for outbreaks to be identified as syphilis can take 9 to 28 days for symptoms to occur. In this time, many new people can be infected if a person does not know that they are a carrier, and have not been tested or treated.

Early diagnosis and treatment is seen as crucial to prevent the spread of Syphilis. Telling previous partners of any positive diagnosis is also essential and encourage them to get tested.

For full details of the report please click here.

Syphilis can be easily treated with antibiotics and, if it is caught early enough the patient will make a full recovery with no lasting effects. Left untreated though, syphilis can be fatal when it reaches its fourth stage.

If you are worried you may have syphilis, Better2Know can test you at any of our 60 nationwide clinics, we do not need your real name and your doctor will not know. Syphilis needs a blood sample, and can be tested on its own, as part of our Peace of Mind Screen (including Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea) or part of a full screen (including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV, Hepatitis B, Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma).

Phone our booking line 24 hours a day 7 days a week on: 0844 561 0750

The five most common STDs in women in the US are:
1 Chlamydia
2 Gonorrhoea
3 Herpes
4 Syphilis
5 HIV

Of these top five, only Syphilis and HIV are more likely to occur in men than women.

Once a woman has one STD, they are more likely to contract another STD because many STDs cause inflammation of the vaginal wall making the blood vessels more susceptible to picking up further infections.

Most STDs are easily treated with antibiotics, but not getting tested can lead to: infertility, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infection of newborn during birth or breast feeding, heart disease, cervical cancer, many other cancers, increased risk of contracting HIV and in some cases death.

If you are worried that you may have an STD, please abstain from sex and contact Better2Know who will be able to get you an appointment quickly. Our booking team are friendly and helpful, and will be able to get you an appointment without you needing to give your real name or telling your GP.

Better2Know can test for all of these STDs are more. If you would like to be tested please visit our STD testing website or phone to book an appointment on 0844 561 0750

1 Coloured discharge (fluid or pus) from the vagina or penis
2 Smelly discharge (fluid or pus) from the vagina or penis
3 Painful urination
4 Bleeding
5 Pelvic Pain
6 Irritation/ Redness
7 Itching of the genitals or in the genital area
8 Swelling of the genital area
9 Visible warts or sores
10 No Symptoms - many men do not show any symptoms even though they have an STD. If you have had unprotected sex or close body contact, you should get tested today.

With 100,000 people predicted to be living with HIV by the end of this year, the Terrence Higgins Trust’s new campaign raises greater awareness of HIV and generates funds for prevention services and support for people living with the virus.

Graham Norton said: “This World AIDS Day I’m putting on my most glamorous red underwear to support a wonderful charity, Terrence Higgins Trust. They’ve got a great new campaign running, Stand Up, Stand Out, to raise greater awareness of HIV and generate vital funds to support people living with the virus in the UK. All you have to do to get involved is wear your red undies to work, donate £2 online and ask any adventurous friends, family and colleagues to do the same.

With our support Terrence Higgins trust can continue to offer amazing services for people living with HIV as well as vital information and advice to help people look after their sexual health.”

Stephen Fry said: “Almost 20 people are still being diagnosed with HIV every day in the UK and it is an incurable and life threatening condition. Please join me in getting involved with Terrence Higgins Trust’s Stand Up, Stand Out campaign to support people living with HIV this World AIDS Day.

“Terrence Higgins Trust is a charity that provides brilliant services for people living with HIV as well as crucial information and advice to help people protect their sexual health and that of their partners. With your help this World AIDS Day they can be there for even more people who need them. Have a look at their website to see what fun things you can do to support. Even a small donation makes a really big difference.”

Getting tested regularly is the best way to prevent the spread of HIV. Better2Know has 60 clinics nationwide where you can get tested today. Our booking line is open 24/7: phone 0844 561 0750.

New figures from the Health Protection Agency show that one in five people offered an HIV test refuse to have the test.

It is estimated that 96,500 people are HIV+ in the UK in 2010, with a quarter of them unaware of their status and most likely to infect their partners.

Only 4% of the population were tested in 2010, many of these pregnant women who are offered the test as a routine part of their pregnancy care.

The most accurate HIV tests are a simple blood test with results available from Better2Know within 2-3 working days. The test is nothing to worry about, but carrying the virus without knowing it is a far more serious problem.

For more details please click here to see the full article.