Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson delivered an impassioned plea to Health Secretary Wes Streeting on national television, urging him to accelerate the introduction of a vital newborn screening test after her own twins were diagnosed with a severe genetic condition.
A Mother's Campaign for Change
During an emotional appearance on ITV's This Morning on Tuesday 20 January 2026, Nelson discussed her family's personal battle with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Her twins were diagnosed with the rare condition, which affects the nerves that control muscle movement and means they are likely never to walk.
The singer is now campaigning relentlessly for SMA type 1 screenings to be added to the standard newborn blood spot test, commonly known as the heel prick test. This test is currently offered to all babies in the UK shortly after birth to check for several serious but treatable conditions.
The 'Madness' of Delay Despite Available Treatments
Nelson expressed her profound frustration at the current system's failure to include SMA, especially when effective treatments exist. "It's just madness to me," she told host Alison Hammond and a visibly moved Wes Streeting. "We are living in a day and age now where we have got three treatments that are life-changing and it's still not part of the heel prick test."
Her argument centres on the critical importance of early detection. Treatments for SMA are most effective when administered before symptoms begin or very early in the disease's progression. A delay in diagnosis can drastically reduce their efficacy, leading to irreversible motor neuron loss.
A Direct Challenge to the Health Secretary
The interview saw a rare display of raw emotion in political broadcasting, with Wes Streeting reportedly moved to tears by Nelson's powerful testimony and the stark reality faced by families like hers.
Nelson did not shy away from directly challenging the minister in charge of the NHS. She publicly called on him to 'put his money where his mouth is' and expedite the review and implementation process to make the screening standard across the UK. Her campaign highlights a gap between medical advancement and public health policy, pressing the government to bridge it urgently.
The outcome of this high-profile intervention remains to be seen, but it has undoubtedly thrust the issue of newborn SMA screening into the national spotlight, applying significant public pressure on the Department of Health and Social Care to act.
