Health campaigner Ashleigh Harley has challenged the Prime Minister to a song battle to draw attention to what she describes as significant barriers to accessing healthcare on the National Health Service (NHS). Harley, who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), stated that her condition, which affects her connective tissues, has led to severe gastroparesis and other complications.
Harley explained that EDS means her body is not built like a typical person's, and that the longer she has gone without adequate treatment, the worse her conditions have become. She believes her condition would not have progressed as severely if she had received a diagnosis sooner and had access to "proper treatment."
Diagnosed with EDS after her family funded private healthcare, Harley claimed that while treatments and medications exist, they are often inaccessible through the NHS. She recounted that a decade without a diagnosis profoundly impacted her youth, preventing her from participating in typical childhood activities, social events, and pursuing employment.
Harley stated that many other young people share similar experiences, with their youth being significantly affected by difficulties in obtaining diagnoses. She is joined for her song performance by 1960s singer Brian Hyland. The Department of Health was approached for a response to Harley's claims.