Get free PrEP in London

Background

It’s not always clear how to start taking PrEP in London.

Prerquisites

• You must live in one of the following buroughs of London: Camden, Islington, Haringey, or Barnet.

Book the appointment to start PrEP

This is where I go, so I know the process best. Dean Street (opens in a new tab) is the most popular clinic though.

1. Open online booking (opens in a new tab) for Central and North West London
2. Tick the box to accept their terms
3. Click Continue
4. Choose an appointment slot
5. Click **Continue
6. Fill in the required information
7. Click Continue
8. Confirm

Where you should go

• Mortimer Market Centre (opens in a new tab) (the other locations are far. Archway and Edgware)
  • Walk in and go left to the counter. Tell them that you have an appointment. They’ll send you upstairs one floor to the pink zone where they’ll give you your paperwork to complete.
• They also have two other clinics; Archway and Edgeware.

What to expect during the appointment

• You’ll be given a paper form to complete. It’s important to list an address in one of their qualifying buroughs to be eligable for PrEP.
• When they ask if you have condomless sex, say yes. This is a requirement to qualify for free PrEP under the NHS.
• They’ll perform an HIV test and optionally a set of STI tests, if you ask. They’ll also take blood to test your kidney function.
• Don’t wee one hour before the appointment as you’ll need to wee for them.
• They will give you a 3 month supply by default. In the future, you may qualify to get 6 months at a time.
• On average, I wait about 45 minutes at this location. They typically only have one person on the rota for handling all PrEP appointments at any given time.