Management of Patients with Reactive HIV Test Results
Preventx has partnered with Yorkshire MESMAC to deliver the Test.HIV service nationally.
Yorkshire MESMAC is one of the oldest and largest sexual health organisations in the country with a keen focus is HIV testing and is ideally placed to offer advisory and referral services to our patients.
Users of the Test.HIV service who receive a reactive result (indicating that HIV antigens or antibodies were present) will need to
attend a local clinical service for a confirmatory test and any follow up care and treatment.
MESMAC will contact the patients local Level 3 GUM / Integrated Sexual Health Service directly before contacting the patient.
It's at this point that MESMAC introduce themselves to the local services, and explain that we are about to call one of their
local residents with a reactive HIV test result. No patient details will be passed to the local service at this time.
We will explain that the service user may call them directly or that MESMAC may call back and make a formal referral
(this is the preferred option) if the patients agrees. MESMACs role is as a conduit and connector between the patient
and the clinic so the purpose of the call is twofold - firstly, to give advance notice to the clinic that we are going to
be making a referral, secondly to gather enough information to ensure that the referral is effective and easy for the patient.
MESMAC will also contact the local HIV support agency to see if there is anything they can offer e.g. buddying into the clinical service.
This will be guided by the local clinic, who may have a good relationship with other local services.
Obviously no information about the patient will be shared without their expressed permission.