NSW Health encourages health professionals to avoid assumptions patients risk, ask questions about sexual practices, and offer HIV testing to a diverse range of patients.

NSW Health encourages health professionals to test a diverse range of patients at risk of HIV, including people who:

• ask for a HIV test, regardless of their risk profile
• are men who have sex with other men (includes men identifying as heterosexual, gay or bisexual)
• have had sex when traveling in a country with high HIV prevalence
• have had sex with someone from country with high HIV prevalence
• come from a country with high HIV prevalence
• anyone diagnosed with another sexually transmitted infection.

The National HIV Testing Portal contains a full list of ‘at risk’ patient groups and clinical indicators for HIV testing.

HIV information for health professionals

NSW Health provides resources and support to make HIV testing easier than ever.

The NSW Sexual Health Infolink is there to support GPs and patients when a diagnosis is made.

For those patients who are reluctant to test in a clinical setting, another method of testing is the Dried Blood Spot Test (DBST). DBS  is a finger prick test for HIV and hepatitis C that can be ordered online by eligible people. The test is free, easy and confidential and may be attractive for people wanting online test ordering and delivery to a mailing address of their choice.

Community, Quality in general practice, Vulnerable groups