The Testing Window
Hepatitis B surface antigen usually becomes detectable around four weeks after exposure, and up to twelve weeks in some cases. A negative result before twelve weeks does not fully exclude infection.
Private Hepatitis B Testing
Hepatitis B testing that separates current infection, past infection, and immunity.
Three different things look similar on a basic test and mean entirely different things: current infection, past infection you have cleared, and immunity from vaccination. We run and interpret the full panel so you get an answer rather than an ambiguity.
- Immunity Checked Too
- Vaccination Available
- Next Day Results
- GMC-registered
- CQC registered
- Completely Confidential
Book your Hepatitis B Test
Hepatitis B is a virus affecting the liver, passed on through blood and body fluids, including through unprotected sex, shared needles and from mother to baby. Most adults who catch it clear it within a few months. A minority do not, and a long term infection can cause liver damage over years, which is why knowing matters.
A hepatitis B blood test can answer three different questions, and it is worth being clear which one you need.
Do I have an infection now? Have I had it in the past? Am I immune, from vaccination or from past infection? The answers come from different markers in the same blood sample, and they lead to quite different next steps: treatment and specialist referral, reassurance, or vaccination.
Results come back the next day. If you turn out not to be immune, vaccination is straightforward and available here.
Why patients choose our HEPATITIS B TEST SERVICE
- Next day results.
- Immunity status checked, not just current infection.
- Vaccination available at the same clinic if you need it.
- No referral, no NHS registration, no waiting list.
- Same day appointments at ten clinics.
- Results interpreted by a doctor, since hepatitis B markers need explaining.
- Occupational testing and vaccination for healthcare and care roles.
- Referral into specialist hepatology or infectious diseases care where a result requires it.
- Your NHS GP registration is unaffected, and nothing is shared without your consent.
When to for Hepatitis B
Within 72 Hours of a High Risk Exposure
If you have had a significant exposure very recently, such as a needlestick injury or sex with someone known to have hepatitis B, post-exposure treatment exists and is time-critical. Hepatitis B immunoglobulin and accelerated vaccination can prevent infection but need starting quickly. Contact a sexual health clinic or A and E now rather than booking a test.
Same Day Appointments
Same-day slots are usually available across all ten clinics, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 7 pm, and Saturday, 9 am - 2 pm.
How to book YOUR HEPATITIS B TEST
Step 1
Book Your Appointment
Same-day slots available. Tell us why you are testing, since it determines which markers matter.
Step 2
Blood Sample
A quick blood sample. Nothing else is needed.
Step 3
Next Day Results
Results come directly to you, with a doctor to explain what the markers mean.
Step 4
What Follows
Vaccination if you are not immune, specialist referral if you have an active infection, or simple reassurance.
Why choose Private Medical Clinic for HEPATITIS B TEST
- CQC registered provider, with documented clinical governance.
- Testing and vaccination in one service, so a non immune result can be acted on immediately.
- Liver function tests available alongside.
- Occupational testing and vaccination for healthcare and care workers, including certificates.
- A doctor interprets the markers, which genuinely need interpreting.
- Referral into specialist care where an active infection is found.
- Next day results.
- Ten clinics across the UK.
- Complete confidentiality.
Meet our CLINICIANS
What our PATIENTS SAY
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STI Testing Fees
Simple, pay-as-you go pricing with no hidden fees
STI Early Detection
Less than 10 days£295
Next Day Results
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhoea
- Syphilis
- Herpes (HSV I and II)
- Ureaplasma/Mycoplasma
- Trichomonas
- Chancroid
STI Complete
After 10 days£495
Next Day Results
- HIV
- Hepatitis B & Hepatitis C
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhoea
- Syphilis
- Herpes (HSV I and II)
- Ureaplasma/Mycoplasma
- Trichomonas
- Gardnerella
- Chancroid
HIV Only Test
After 28 days£195
Next Day Results
- HIV Antibody
- HIV p24 Antigen
Should you TEST FOR HEPATITIS B?
- You have had unprotected sex with a new partner, or a partner whose status you do not know.
- You have shared needles or injecting equipment.
- You have had a needlestick or occupational exposure.
- You work in healthcare or social care and need to confirm immunity.
- You were born in, or have lived in, a country where hepatitis B is common. Prevalence varies enormously by region, and this is one of the strongest reasons to test.
- Your mother had hepatitis B, since transmission around birth is a common route.
- You have had a tattoo or piercing where sterilisation was uncertain.
- You are pregnant. Testing is part of routine NHS antenatal care because treatment prevents transmission to the baby.
- You have unexplained abnormal liver function tests.
- You are about to be vaccinated and want to know your starting point.
Understanding your HEPATITIS B RESULT
Hepatitis B testing reports several markers, and the combination is what carries the meaning. Simplified:
HBsAg, surface antigen. Present means the virus is currently in your body. Found again six months later, the infection is chronic rather than acute.
Anti-HBs, surface antibody. Present means you are immune, either from successful vaccination or from an infection you cleared. This is the marker an employer wants when asking you to prove immunity.
Anti-HBc, core antibody. Present means you have been infected at some point in the past. It does not appear after vaccination, so it distinguishes past infection from vaccine immunity.
So the common combinations are: immune from vaccination (anti-HBs positive, anti-HBc negative), immune from past cleared infection (both positive), current infection (HBsAg positive), and never exposed and not immune (all negative, and vaccination is worth considering).
What happens with an active infection. Most adults clear acute hepatitis B within six months without treatment. Where it becomes chronic, the concern is slow liver damage over decades, and that is manageable: effective antiviral treatment exists, and monitoring liver function and screening for liver cancer are part of standard specialist care. Chronic hepatitis B is a long-term condition to be managed rather than an emergency, and people with it live normally. Care belongs with a hepatologist or infectious diseases specialist, and we would refer you.
On vaccination. The vaccine is a three-dose course, highly effective, and it is the reason hepatitis B is now uncommon in vaccinated populations. It is included in the UK childhood schedule, so people born more recently are usually already protected. If your test shows you are not immune, vaccination is the straightforward answer.
Hepatitis B Test vs NHS: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
| Private Hepatitis B Test | NHS | |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Book directly, same day usually | Sexual health clinic, some walk in or GP |
| Results | Next day | Typically several days to two weeks |
| Vaccination | £195 full course | Free for at risk groups and occupational need |
| Specialist care if positive | Referral | Direct into hepatology or infectious diseases |
| Immunity check | Ask at your appointment | Available on clinical or occupational indication |
Hepatitis B vaccination is free on the NHS for people in recognised at-risk groups, and employers are generally required to fund occupational vaccination. If either applies to you, use that route. Private testing is worth paying for when you want a next-day result, or need documented immunity quickly for a job.
Hepatitis B Test FAQS
Surface antigen usually appears from around four weeks, and up to twelve in some cases, so a negative result before twelve weeks is not conclusive.
Yes, through the anti-HBs marker. Tell us if immunity is what you need to establish.
The next day.
Generally, yes, with some restrictions on exposure-prone procedures depending on your viral load. It is not a bar to a healthcare career, and occupational health would advise specifically.
If you are not immune and have ongoing risk, yes, it is worth having. The course is three doses.
Often sensible, since risk factors overlap. Our STI Complete screen covers both.
Post-exposure treatment exists and is time-critical. Contact a sexual health clinic or A and E now rather than booking a test.
Often none. Where they occur: tiredness, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, pale stools, and jaundice. Many people have no symptoms at all, which is why testing rather than waiting is the right approach.
Acute infection is cleared by most adults’ immune systems within six months. Chronic infection is not usually cured but is effectively treated and monitored, and people with it live normal lives.
Through blood and body fluids: unprotected sex, shared needles, mother-to-baby, and unsterile tattooing or piercing. It is not passed on by casual contact, sharing food, or hugging.
Yes, if you have an active infection. Partners should be tested and vaccinated. We will help you approach it.
Transmission to the baby can be prevented with the right measures around birth, which is why antenatal testing is routine. Tell your maternity team if you test positive.
Ready to book YOUR HEPATITIS B TEST?
Book a confidential hepatitis B test at your nearest clinic. Next-day results, immunity checked, and vaccination available if you need it.