Following on from last weeks post about chlamydia screening and the "wii for a wee" competition, it has come to my attention that Hounslow NHS Trust has taken it one step further to be "down wiv da kids". Anyone aged from 16 to 24 can have a free chlamydia test and have the results sent to them via text message.
One hopes that it will be in txt speak, such as "U hav got chlmyd, go 2 d doctRz" or "yor gf wiL not b :-) w U". Good clean young adults will presumably get "U R clr of chlamydia. w00t!".
10 comments:
Sorry, but I have to disagree to this being perceived as a cynical attempts to get 'down wit da kidzz' or whatever. It is important that the news goes straight to the person who has taken the test as easy as possible to stop a) anyone else finding out that the test was done and b) the results actually being read. This is the best way in which both can be done.
Yes, because SMS is so much more secure and reliable than a phone call or a letter.
Do people still say/use "woot"?
Only if you spell it with zeros
w00t!
b:-)w ????
"be happy with"
...of course.
To be fair though, texting is probably cheaper overall than writing a letter or making a phone call!
So if they your ok but your GF has a dose, would that be classed as Happy Clapping?
I did this in Tower Hamlets under their initiative and I thought it was great.
I was fine, but being a man I would have been too shy to ever have arranged an appointment to go into a clinic etc. Especially as I was 99% sure I'd be fine.
This way I just took a free testing kit from the Terrence Higgins Trust, did it at home and mailed it off and got the result in an anonymous text telling me everything was fine.
I think this is the sort of thing the NHS should definitely be doing.
Just to add to the above, the good thing about the SMS system was that it was anonymous and didn't refer to what the test was for etc. I wouldn't have minded if it had've said "YOU DON'T HAVE CHLAMYDIA", but you can see how someone who has been playing away from home or seeing prostitutes etc might appreciate an SMS rather than a call at an awkward time from the Trust or a letter which might be opened by a partner.
I don't condone cheating, obviously, but people do it and it's their faithful partners who wouldn't even consider the possibility they might catch something from a seemingly monogamous relationship who might lose out.
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