STI/HIV Testing Tool

STI/HIV Testing Tool – for general practice and other primary care clinicians

The tool’s aim & target audience:

The STI/HIV Testing Tool has been developed to support general practice and other primary care clinicians to conduct evidence-led and risk-based STI/HIV testing for ‘at risk’ patient groups. The tool additionally supports contact tracing of sexual partners of people diagnosed with an STI. The tool includes a factsheet providing advice on first-pass urine specimen collection when testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea.

The tool has been specifically developed for a NSW audience, yet is also designed to support use by clinicians nationwide. The tool was reviewed and updated in July 2017 and will be formally reviewed every 2 years or as required.

The tool shows clinicians how to:

• Offer routine STI/HIV testing in different consultations
• Conduct a brief risk assessment (sexual history)
• Conduct routine STI/HIV testing
• Conduct contact tracing
• Access available resources and additional support

Click for the STI/HIV Testing Tool for use in clinical consultations

Click for the First-pass urine specimen collection when testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea factsheet

Click here to order a hardcopy STI/HIV testing tool & first-pass urine specimen collection factsheet

Evidence base informing the tool’s development:

The tool is based on the Australian STI Management Guidelines for use in Primary Care, the National HIV Testing Policy, the Australasian Contact Tracing Guidelines and is in accordance to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners 2016, Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice. The tool draws on annual national STI epidemiology and surveillance data reported by the Kirby Institute.

Peak professional bodies approving/endorsing the tool:

The tool is approved/endorsed as a clinical resource by the following peak bodies:

Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine

Australasian Sexual Health Alliance

How the tool was developed:

Review and development of the tool has been led by the NSW STI Programs Unit which is part of the Centre for Population Health – NSW Ministry of Health, and the Unit’s General Practice and Sexual Health advisory committee. The committee is comprised of GPs with an interest in sexual health, sexual health and public health specialists. During its development the tool was reviewed by the RACGP Sexual Health Medicine Network, by GPs who do not have a special interest in sexual health, and by primary care and practice nurses who have a special interest in sexual health.

The following individuals are acknowledged for their contributions to the development of the update testing tool:

Conflicts of interest:

Individuals involved in the development of the STI/HIV Testing Tool and the First-pass urine specimen collection when testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea factsheet have no declared conflicts of interest.