Where did you store it between the different times that you had to use the test kit?

I kept it on the bathroom shelf in a little container, so that it was away from everything you know. But I suppose really you could either keep it in your bathroom cabinet, somewhere convenient you know, somewhere where it’s not liable to be contaminated by any liquids or direct sunlight.

For a start I had to think about did I want to do it, because I was concerned, do they have to have it done right away? But then of course I read about it again and I thought, ‘Well I’ve got fourteen days so it doesn’t matter. But, but yes, I did mine possibly over a matter of about a week, mine took about a week to do it.

What was your biggest concern, were you worried about storing it?

I was worried about storing it, I was thinking well if I did one say Monday and I didn’t go again till Wednesday or Thursday where would I keep it, is it going to smell? And then I just, I just kept it in a little plastic box personally, I put it in a plastic box and kept it in the bathroom until I did it, till I did the three and I was able to post them off.

And then you had to put it in the post, how did you feel about putting it in the post?

I thought that without having some form of seal over it, it was a little bit dodgy and I thought it was risky to send a toilet sample through the post, not in a sealed container. I did think that the sampling wallet with the little stick down windows could have been more secure from a health contamination point of view.

Perhaps there could be a peel off label or something to seal the window down securely rather than a little tuck in flap. It doesn’t strike me as being good hygiene.

Did that worry you at the time?

From the point of view of general health and the fact there must be thousands of these things going through the post, yes, because bacteria have no regard to a piece of paper and sticky tape over the end. It should be sealed more effectively than it is I think, bearing in mind that the laboratory technician has to open it, but there could be some method of sealing it down a bit more securely I think.

How did you feel about putting it in the post?

Well, initially I thought I’m sure there must be some law against putting this kind of thing in the post. Then I thought, ‘Well don’t be foolish, it’s obviously done the best way it can. But because the sample is clearly secured, not only within itself, but it then goes into an envelope which is the most secure envelope I’ve ever come across, there was no way that anybody anywhere couldve known what was inside there. I mean when they said they were going to send me a kit, I don’t know why, I was thinking of a cardboard box. But its not, it’s just an envelope sized thing. It’s as simple as that, its goes in an envelope, not even A5 size, much smaller than that, flat. Nobody would know, or have the faintest idea what was in there.