| answer text |
<p>To improve awareness of postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) amongst healthcare
professionals, and specifically general practices (GPs), the Royal College of General
Practitioners provides training on PoTS as part of its Syncope toolkit, which is available
at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/mod/book/view.php?id=12386&chapterid=247"
target="_blank">https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/mod/book/view.php?id=12386&chapterid=247</a></p><p>
</p><p>The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also produced a clinical
knowledge summary, last revised in November 2023, which outlines the method healthcare
professionals should follow for diagnosing PoTS. This summary is available at the
following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/"
target="_blank">https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/</a></p><p>
</p><p>GPs are asked to investigate symptoms to ensure that it is not misdiagnosed.
Following referral, patients are treated within National Health Service cardiology
and neurology services. Where more specialist advice is required, a referral will
be made to an appropriate clinician.</p><p> </p><p>Services for PoTS are locally commissioned
and, as such, it is the responsibility of the local commissioning teams within integrated
care boards to ensure that their locally commissioned services meet the needs of their
local population.</p><p> </p><p>The Department invests over £1 billion per year in
health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The NIHR funds research in response to proposals received from scientists rather than
allocating funding to specific disease areas. The NIHR welcomes funding applications
for research into any aspect of human health, including PoTS, although it is not usual
practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are
subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis
of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for
money, and scientific quality.</p>
|
|
