North Yorkshire hospital trust urged to reverse decision scrapping PoTS treatment

Mum-of-four Danielle Hughes-Francis from Catterick said the decision was heart-breaking

Author: Liam ArrowsmithPublished 7th Aug 2023

A mum-of-four from Catterick has urged a hospital trust in North Yorkshire to reverse a decision to end treatment of a rare heart condition.

Danielle Francis-Hughes was diagnosed with PoTS after passing out at work in 2015, a condition which causes dizziness, light-headedness and fatigue.

She had been receiving saline fluid to alleviate the symptoms, which Danielle said helped her live a more normal life.

But earlier this year, the York and Scarborough NHS Foundation Trust has scrapped the treatment, because of a "lack of evidence" over the benefits.

Danielle has now started a petition, urging the hospital trust to reverse the decision.

She said: "It broke my heart. It's just sad. It felt like I had a big light at the end of my tunnel, which has been taken away."

Private treatment is out of reach for Danielle, who said it would cost around ÂŁ600 a week with a discount.

A spokesperson for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Trust has comprehensively reviewed the evidence for saline fluid infusions for the treatment of patients with symptoms of POTS.

"There is not enough published evidence that the treatment provides sufficient benefit for patients to justify continued long-term IV treatment.

"We are therefore no longer providing this treatment, which is consistent with other hospitals in the NHS.

“We will be in contact with the affected patients to make alternative plans for the management of their symptoms.”

Danielle's petition can be found here.

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