February 24, 2026 - 219 views
Public Health Wales has apologised after identifying safeguarding and data handling problems within its Sexual Health Test and Post Service, which processes almost 100,000 testing requests each year across Wales, including North Wales.
The issues came to light during an internal review in November and December 2025 and relate primarily to safeguarding procedures for people using the online and community-based “test and post” service.
Public Health Wales said its safeguarding processes did not meet required legislative standards. In some cases, safeguarding information was shared with health boards instead of local authorities, which are the statutory bodies responsible for child and adult protection under Welsh law.
In Wales, safeguarding responsibilities sit with local authorities working alongside health services and police under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. Referrals involving children or vulnerable adults should be directed to local authority safeguarding teams.
Public Health Wales said it has now changed its internal procedures to ensure that any safeguarding concerns raised through the online service are referred correctly.
A review of previous cases is also under way. Where individuals may not have been safeguarded appropriately, cases are being redirected to the relevant local authority for assessment and support. A “lookback” exercise is being carried out to ensure any historic safeguarding information is shared correctly.
The organisation has also introduced a new online process aimed at strengthening protections for young people using the platform, alongside changes to the service website.
The review also uncovered weaknesses in data handling processes involving personal information.
Officials said that on some occasions, test results were sent to the wrong health board. However, they stressed that all information remained within NHS Wales systems and was not shared outside the health service.
The incidents have been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s data protection regulator, as required under data protection law.
Public Health Wales described the issues as largely internal administrative errors and said it has strengthened procedures to prevent recurrence.
A small number of people received incorrect test results or experienced delays in receiving results and referrals.
Where incorrect results were identified, Public Health Wales said it contacted individuals immediately, corrected the result and offered appropriate follow-up care. Delayed results and referrals were also sent out as quickly as possible once identified.
The organisation has stressed that anyone affected has already been contacted and does not need to get in touch unless they have specific concerns.
Professor Fu-Meng Khaw, National Director of Health Protection and Screening Services and Medical Director at Public Health Wales, said:
“I would like to sincerely apologise to anyone who has been affected by these issues. Please be assured that as soon as these issues were identified, we acted immediately to put things right.
“Our services remain here for you whether you need a confidential sexual health test sent to your home, access to condoms, or advice on any sexual health concerns – our teams are here to support you. We will be commissioning a full independent external review into these issues. We are committed to learning from this experience and understanding exactly what went wrong, so we can improve the quality of the service.”
The Sexual Health Test and Post Service allows people across Wales, including rural communities in North Wales, to order free, confidential home testing kits for sexually transmitted infections. The service is designed to improve access, reduce stigma and ease pressure on in-person clinics.
Public Health Wales said the service remains safe to use and that a risk assessment was undertaken before it continued operating.
Anyone who has not been contacted about incorrect or delayed results does not need to take action. A dedicated helpline is available for reassurance and support on 0800 0352 877, open weekdays from 8am to 8pm and 9am to 4pm at weekends.
