Hampshire chronically ill patient campaigns for better access to services
PoTS UK are campaigning at a Parliamentary debate for better access to services
Last updated 14th Oct 2025
A Hampshire woman is joining a charity's campaigns for better access to healthcare and calls for national guidelines at a Parliamentary debate today.
Michelle has had Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, better known as PoTS, for over a decade.
As a volunteer for PoTS UK, she's joining the calls at Parliament to discuss plans to address the lack of services, the 10-year health plan, and the need for national guidelines.
Michelle said: "It's so dehabilitating.
"It happened so suddenly, as well, when you've been healthy and always recovered from viruses.
"It's just a very strange feeling and you keep expecting the following week you'll feel better and on and on, but it just doesn't happen.
"Lifechanging and I think people don't realise how severe the condition can be."
PoTS presents itself in various ways in different people with symptoms varying from heart palpitations and feeling lightheaded to fainting.
The symptoms are associated with a persistent increase in heart rate from the lying to upright position.
Michelle says she developed PoTS after having glandular fever.
She says her condition began with very severe mental and physical fatigue which makes it difficult to have conversations, and feeling very unwell when doing anything other than lying down.
In PoTS UK's most recent research, they found it takes an average of seven years to gain a diagnosis.
The charity have previously held a campaign at Portcullis House where they were able to meet MPs, and have conducted various studies into the condition, too.
Jo Bullingham, General Manager of PoTS UK, said: "We're really excited that Cat Smith MP has managed to secure a debate at Westminster Hall.
"The debate will be about PoTS, and Cat will address the lack of services available, lack of national guidelines and will be challenging the government on what they plan to do to address it.
"The response from our community has been absolutely incredible.
"It's the most significant opportunity that we've had to put our case forward.
"Whilst we've had really wonderful engagement from lots of MPs from our drop-in session at Portcullis House; and it was wonderful to meet a good number of MPs at that who've shown an interest; we know it's got to be a collective effort.
"It's not going to change as the result of one MP, it's got to be the government as a whole, taking action and responsibility.
"It is the next step forward for PoTS in hopefully seeing some change in the level of services that are available."