Jesy Nelson has admitted that she is “outraged” by the Government’s response to her campaign for newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
The former Little Mix singer has been calling for all newborn babies in the U.K. to be tested for SMA, a serious genetic condition that affects her twin daughters, Ocean and Story.
SMA is a muscle-wasting disease which can be treated if caught early, but can cause severe disability or death within the first two years of life if it is not diagnosed quickly.
Scotland introduced newborn screening in March, but a U.K.-wide programme will only be rolled out in stages.
Nelson said she was “heartbroken” and “outraged” after MPs debated the issue in Parliament on Monday. The debate followed a petition she started, which received more than 150,000 signatures.
The Black Magic singer also criticised public health minister Sharon Hodgson, who defended the planned phased rollout.
“I cannot believe we are still debating this,” she said on Instagram. “You are basically telling me that if you live in a certain postcode, you’re not as important. It’s outrageous.”
Hodgson argued that there are not enough testing facilities to roll out screening across the whole country straight away.
After the debate, it was confirmed that SMA screening will begin in October 2026, three months earlier than planned. However, it will still only cover around 72% of newborns in the U.K. at first.
Areas not included in the first phase include Liverpool, Oxford, Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds and Portsmouth.
Nelson questioned why some areas are being left out.
“If it’s safe enough for 72% of England to get this tested at birth, then why is it not good enough for the (other) 28%?” she asked. “How do we justify that? How is that ethical? It makes no sense.”
Nelson’s daughters, whom she shares with ex Zion Foster, were diagnosed with SMA type 1 in the months after they were born in May 2025.
