Prevention is the New Cure

Is the NHS checking out of preventative care? In Episode 105 of Prevention is the New Cure , former health ministers Lord James Bethell and Steve Brine tackle the shifting landscape of public health, political incentives, and cultural habits across the UK and US. From declining NHS health checks to the radical new "marathon a month" incentive scheme, they debate whether behavioural nudges actually...

In Episode 104, former health ministers Lord Bethell and Steve Brine tackle one of the NHS's most urgent crises as they examine a damning review into maternity services in England. Following Baroness Valerie Amos' report and the latest findings into avoidable failures in maternity care, they ask: Why does the NHS continue to repeat the same mistakes despite hundreds of recommendations? And will ap...

In Episode 103, former health ministers Lord Bethell and Steve Brine break down a historic week in UK politics and healthcare. Following Andy Burnham’s by-election victory and Keir Starmer’s sudden resignation, they ask: Is Burnham on an unstoppable path to becoming the first former Health Secretary turned Prime Minister? Plus, they dissect controversial comments from the Chair of NHS England, Pen...

The social media ban for under-16s is officially here - but can government actually enforce it?  In Episode 102 of the health and politics podcast, Prevention is the new cure , former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell dive into Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s landmark announcement. From the technical realities of age verification to the political motivations behind the ban, the...

Are we witnessing the collapse of the government's 10-year NHS plan, or are we on the brink of a healthcare revolution?  Live from the NHS ConfedExpo 2026 in Manchester, former health ministers Steve Brine and James Bethel sit down to analyse a seismic period for health and politics. Following the shocking resignation of Wes Streeting and the appointment of James Murray as Secretary of State,...

England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, joins former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell inside the Department of Health for our landmark 100th episode. Sir Chris breaks down the data behind the prostate cancer screening decision, why 45% of dementia cases can be delayed, the truth about childhood obesity and air pollution. In this special episode we sit down with t...

In a week that Tony Blair returned to UK headlines, James Bethell and Steve Brine wonder whether the former Prime Minister is right on healthcare (among other things) and will he have an influence over a potential Labour leadership contest? This week’s episode also features Professor Adam Fox, Chair of the National Allergy Strategy Group, discussing Britain’s growing allergy crisis, anaphylaxis, f...

As candidates emerge ahead of a potential Labour leadership contest James Bethell and Steve Brine consider a tale of two health secretaries vying for the top job. How do Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting stack up when it comes healthcare policy? Is Burnham’s local, social-determinant approach the future of 21st-century healthcare, or does Streeting’s Blairite, target-driven strategy hold the real key...

Chaos in Westminster. As rumors of a Labour leadership challenge swirl, former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell break down a week of political explosions and landmark policy shifts. In this episode, we dive into: The "Christmas Tree" Bill: Why the new NHS Modernisation Bill could be a gamble for the government. Single Patient Records: Is mandating data sharing the key to saving the N...

James joins from the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills this week and the guys unpack five "states of mind" currently dominating the global health and politics landscape. From China’s surging dominance in biopharma innovation to the sobering reality of the failed resource shift toward prevention, this episode is a wake-up call for Western policy makers. In this episode, we discuss...

Former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell return with a thought-provoking episode - featuring former Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth on his shock stroke at 47, and the unexpected role of Lego in his recovery. This week, they ask a hard question: If someone who understands the system can miss the warning signs, how are the public meant to spot them? In this episode: Jonathan A...

Former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell return for a deep dive into the intersection of health and politics. This week, they tackle the "Golden Child" of the pandemic, the vaccine rollout, and ask a piercing question: Why can the UK system innovate in a crisis but remain "analogue" for chronic disease? In this episode: The Allergy Boom: Lord Bethell shares his personal battle with ha...

Former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell dive into the "nihilism" of modern health politics. Is the current strategy just about keeping the NHS out of the headlines, or are we actually making the nation healthier? In this episode: The School Food Revolution: Why Jamie Oliver and Henry Dimbleby might be skeptical of the government's latest "ban" on nuggets. Prostate Cancer Screening: O...

In episode 92 of THE health and politics podcast: Prevention is the New Cure, former Health Ministers Steve Brine and Lord Bethell discuss the brand new junk food ban, and how fast food companies and others are ALREADY finding loopholes. They also chat about: The rollout of Wegovy on the NHS for people with cardiovascular disease, and how this could prevent secondary heart attacks. The NHS 'brain...

Is the UK's health system upside down? In this episode of 'Prevention is the New Cure,' former Health Minister Lord James Bethell and Tony Blair Institute’s Dr. Charlotte Refsum sit down with Professor Susan Jebb (Chair of the Food Standards Agency) to discuss why the UK is failing to prevent chronic disease. From the "socialisation of acute care" to the biological reality of GLP-1 weight-loss dru...

Episode 90 of THE health and politics podcast, comes LIVE from Digital Health Re:wired ! This episode is sponsored by MASTEK ; a company with a 25-year history of working with the NHS and has been trusted to deliver significant national IT infrastructure and data projects across the UK Public Sector. Former Health Ministers Steve Brine and Lord Bethell are at the NEC among four thousand digital he...

In Episode 89, former Health Ministers Steve Brine and Lord Bethell dive into the urgent headlines shaping British healthcare. From the tragic Meningitis B outbreak in Kent to the "productivity paradox" of AI in hospitals, this episode strips back the politics to look at what actually works. In this episode, we discuss: The Meningitis B Outbreak: Why a "policy-created" vulnerability gap has left t...

In this episode of Prevention is the New Cure , former Health Ministers Steve Brine and Lord James Bethell join from around the world: James from Blackpool and Steve from North Macedonia. They dive into the looming GP contract ballot and the threat of industrial action, the "quiet war" on air pollution , and the surprising health outcomes of North Macedonia. James shares a personal announcement re...

The £200bn Question: Why Isn’t the NHS Getting Healthier? In this episode of Prevention is the New Cure , former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell take analyse the status quo of UK health policy. With NHS spending in England projected to reach £217 billion by 2025/26 , the debate isn't about if we have the money, but how we are wasting it. James Bethell argues that the doubling of the...

Can we "prescribe" our way out of a national health crisis? In this episode, former Health Ministers James Bethell and Steve Brine are joined by Charlotte Refsum (Head of Health at the Tony Blair Institute) to dissect the week's biggest headlines in health policy. In this episode: The Tobacco & Vapes Bill: Why 74 Tories voted against the generational smoking ban. The "Fat Jab" Debate: Should G...

In this episode of Prevention is the New Cure , former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell chat to Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King's Fund. Sarah Woolnough argues that health is not made in hospitals — it is shaped by housing, education, environment and regulation. The discussion explores whether the UK needs a fundamental shift away from a “sickness service” towards long-te...

In this episode of Prevention is the New Cure , former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell sit down with Sir Jim Mackey , Chief Executive of NHS England , for a wide-ranging and candid discussion about the future of the NHS. Sir Jim addresses the crisis facing NHS demand , the limits of hospital-centric care, and why prevention, neighbourhood health systems, and disruptive reform are es...

A special episode this week of the health and politics podcast, Prevention is the new cure , as Ministers finally publish the National Cancer Plan . Steve & James talk exclusively to NHS National Clinical Director, Professor Peter Johnson , about the ambition which says 75% of people diagnosed from 2035 will survive long term and meeting the 62-days cancer waiting time standard by the end of t...

Steve & James return with episode 82 of the health and politics podcast, Prevention is the new cure . This week, to mark Stroke Prevention Day on Thursday, the guys talk to Juliet Bouverie from the Stroke Association about signs, symptoms and red flags. And they look ahead to the long-awaited National Cancer Plan which is expected to be published next week. What can we expect from the first pl...

Steve and James return with episode 81 of the health and politics podcast, Prevention is the new cure. They chat just hours after James (Lord Bethell) led the charge on a debate in the House of Lords which saw Peers vote through an amendment which would ban under-16's from social media across the UK. Also, as nearly a quarter of hospitals in England report waiting times have worsened since the gov...