Josh Newbury

I completely agree with my hon. Friend. In this country, we are incredibly proud of our NHS and the care that it can give people who have very common or very rare conditions. However, as I will set out further, and as he has just said, so many people with these two conditions feel very unseen, and we absolutely need to correct that. People should not have to fundraise to seek private treatment to be seen by doctors. I will ensure in my speech that the experiences of patients who develop these two conditions and serious neurological complications are heard. When I speak to Connor now, the reality of what he is living with is incredibly difficult to hear. He has told me how much he is struggling, not just with the physical symptoms of his conditions but with his battle to be recognised in our health system. He feels that his conditions are not seen, not properly assessed and too often misunderstood. Like many other people, he has been left feeling that he is not even believed. Connor told me that at one point he was barely eating, in order to try to save enough money to see a specialist neurosurgeon abroad. He does not come from a privileged background, so he has had to set up a crowdfunding page in the hope of raising enough money to get the specialist surgery and treatment that he needs. However, like so many patients in a similar situation, he is falling short. Even if he is able to reach his target and go abroad, he will be left asking the very simple question: “What happens when I come home?” He has described feeling as though he has been “gaslit” by the system, with his symptoms attributed elsewhere and his concerns not taken seriously.