The diagnosed person tells relevant partners, often with wording or support from the clinic.
Back to the glossarySexual health
Partner notification
A confidential public-health process that helps people who may have been exposed to an infection obtain appropriate testing, treatment and prevention advice.
Sexual health
In brief
Confidentially connecting potentially exposed partners with care.
After some diagnoses, a clinic helps identify which current or former partners may need contact and over what period. The diagnosed person may notify them, or the service may be able to make confidential contact without naming the source. Notification communicates possible exposure, not blame, certainty or proof of infidelity.
The service contacts partners confidentially without disclosing the diagnosed person's identity.
Determines whether an infection is detected at the appropriate time; notification itself is not a diagnosis.
Sharing one's own health information, a broader personal and sometimes legal question distinct from clinic notification.
Why it is offered
Many STIs can have no symptoms. Prompt partner testing and treatment can protect health, reduce onward transmission and sometimes prevent reinfection.
The relevant partners and look-back period differ by infection and clinical history. Staff apply current guidance rather than contacting everyone automatically.
How it works
A health adviser discusses contact options and what information is needed. Services may use telephone, text or other local systems.
When a clinic notifies anonymously, it does not reveal the source's name or unnecessary details. Exact procedures and limits vary by service.
Communication and safety
A simple message should say that testing or clinical advice is recommended without diagnosing the recipient. Clinics can provide accurate wording and answer questions.
Where contact could risk violence, coercion, outing or harassment, tell the clinic before attempting it. Safety planning and provider referral may be more appropriate.
Avoiding assumptions
Some infections persist silently or are detected long after acquisition. A result often cannot establish when transmission occurred or by whom.
Partner notification is healthcare rather than punishment. Respectful language supports attendance and reduces stigma.
Non-graphic examples
What the umbrella may include
- Asking a clinic to contact a former partner anonymously.
- Using clinic wording for a personal message.
- Arranging testing after receiving a notification.
- Discussing safety before contacting an abusive ex-partner.
- Avoiding assumptions about when an infection was acquired.
Reviewed 30 August 2026
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This detailed field note uses the best available evidence without treating one community sample as universal. Evidence limits and UK context are stated where relevant.
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