Order a free HIV self-test kit

NHS HomeTest covers a range of services which enables individuals to order self-test kits so they can monitor their health and detect infections from the comfort of their own home.

The Order a free HIV self-test kit service allows individuals to order a self-sample test kit to test for the HIV infection at home.

Kits are currently free to individuals who live in areas where the local authority (LA) has commissioned the service. Free kits are limited to one every 3 months.

The test requires an individual to take a blood sample and send it to a lab for testing. If an individual finds taking a blood sample too difficult, they can attend their nearest sexual health clinic instead, and they will take a blood sample for them.

The service will be available through the NHS App to individuals who have a high-level verification identity with the NHS App.

The service can be used by individuals who are:

• aged 18 or over
• located in a LA commissioned area
• ordering for themselves only

The service is available through the NHS App on a mobile phone or web browser.

There are 3 parts to the service:

1. Order a self-sample test kit.
2. Track the order status.
3. See the result.

Kits are supplied by NHS trusted partner organisations who also test the blood sample in their lab and issue the result to the individual through the NHS App.

After the individual signs in to the app, they're given a short explanation of how the service works, who their contact details are shared with, and what results they can expect to see in the NHS App, after the lab has tested their blood sample.

They're then asked a few questions, including where they would like the kit delivered, and a check is made to see if the free kit is available in that location. If a free kit is not available, they are given some alternative ways of getting tested.

If a free kit is available for their area, they then submit their order. The order confirmation tells them their kit will be delivered within 7 days and they'll get updates through the NHS App. They also get a text message from the kit supplier to confirm their order.

Individuals get regular updates through the NHS App, which include reminders to return their kit if they have not done so. The status updates and reminder messages are:

1. Order confirmed.
2. Order dispatched.
3. Reminder to return their kit after 7 days have elapsed.
4. Reminder to return their kit after 15 days have elapsed.
5. Reminder to return their kit after 25 days have elapsed.
6. Kit received at lab.
7. Result ready.

There are also messages covering when it has not be possible to get a clear test result from the blood sample or when the blood sample was never received by the lab.

When the lab has tested the blood sample, the result is made available through the NHS App.

Results are:

1. Negative (no HIV detected)
2. Reactive (something detected which might suggest HIV)
3. Speak to clinician (a probable infection that needs a private discussion with a clinician)

All of these come with an assurance that the result will not be shared with the individual's GP and an onward care pathway is given.

If the lab is unable to get a clear result, this is shown as a non-definitive result and the individual is offered the choice of ordering another self-test kit or going to a sexual health clinic to get tested.

The Digital supplier integration framework (GitHub) is a lightweight framework for defining and validating supplier integration contracts for HomeTest-style integrations. The repo is structured to make it easy to version, review, and automate checks against schemas and contractual changes over time.