Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to (a) effective and (b) timely healthcare support for people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is diagnosed by a combination of general practitioners (GPs) and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms, or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.

Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.

By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care and expanding personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.

As part of their continuing professional development, medical staff are responsible for updating their clinical knowledge with new research and guidance, ensuring they can accurately recognise and treat conditions such as PoTS.

The National Institute for Care Excellence has published a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, which details how clinicians should assess and diagnose PoTS. Additionally, the Syncope Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, is a resource designed to help GPs manage patients with syncope and related disorders, including PoTS.