Prevention is the New Cure

The health and politics podcast reaches its 80th episode! Steve and James discuss Kemi Badenoch's social media ban proposal, the high-wire act of negotiating a new GP contract and what Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, meant when he cited GIRFT (get it right first time) at a major conference this week. Also, this week saw a genuine medical breakthrough as a patient at Manchester Royal Infirmary bec...

For their first episode of 2026, Steve & James pick over the big stories in health and politics this week including the new NHS Online service , junk food advertising ban and the rollout of a new chicken pox vaccine for children. They also pick up on a huge story concerning Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) after Little Mix star, Jesy Nelson , said her twins had been diagnosed with the rare muscle...

After a busy year, which saw Steve team up with Lord James Bethell for chapter three of THE health and politics podcast , it's time for some festive fun as an old friend joins. Original co-host, Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard , dials in from her home in New Zealand to play a special game of snap with a Kiwi twist - Yeh / Yeh-Nah - which looks at the current similarities between the two countries in healt...

The main story in health and politics this week is the gathering flu epidemic and the impact it is already having on the acute sector. Steve and James talk to Dr Adrian Boyle, immediate past President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, to get a view from the front-line. They also give their reflections on masks in public (disagree on cycle helmets!) and consider the maternity safety story...

As the increasingly bitter war of words between Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, and the British Medical Association hots up James and Steve discuss who really are the 'moaning minnies' of the NHS. They also consider the Government's new HIV Action Plan , published earlier this week and the highly significant US/UK deal on future medicines announced on Monday. The former Ministers also reflect on...

The health and politics podcast moves into a new chapter as James Bethell joins the team and his first episode is a big one as he and Steve consider Budget 2025. You can get in touch podcast@stevebrine.com and find our socials via our LinkTree page . Thanks for listening! Sponsored by Pulselight. Find out more at pulselight.com -- WhatsApp us: 0333 404 6507 Email: hello@preventionisthenewcure.com...

Sarah calls it a day as she swims away into cold water retirement. The pair discuss the latest strikes by Resident Doctors and some new polling from Future Health Research on what the public think about paying more tax at next week's Budget for the NHS. And they're joined by Sonia Pombo from Action on Salt & Sugar to discuss what we can learn from the 'sugar tax' and how we can use that to rea...

Sarah is away so Steve is on his own for a shortened episode which considers two key pre-Budget considerations for the NHS and welcomes a special guest to talk long-term conditions and the benefits of physical exercise. Deborah Alsina from The Richmond Group and CEO of Arthritis UK discusses why the Chief Medical Officer described physical activity as a 'miracle cure' for those battling poor healt...

This week Steve and Sarah are joined by Jennifer Dixon of the Health Foundation for a wide-ranging chat about the NHS Ten Year Plan, whether we really can prove there's a cost saving to preventing ill health and her recent time spent with THREE former Health Secretaries. This week's Pod Surgery considers prostate cancer diagnosis within a day using AI and hairdressers as mental health life savers...

Conference season continues with a special LIVE episode of the podcast from The Pharmacy Show . Held at the NEC in Birmingham, it is the UK's major gathering for the Pharmacy sector and has been for over a decade. Former Pharmacy Minister, Steve Brine, was there meeting old friends, understanding where pharmacy feels it is 18-months into a Labour Government and hosting a series of events in the Bu...

Steve Brine and Dr Sarah Wollaston discuss a wide range of stories including the drug pricing row engulfing our life sciences sector, more bad news for Ministers on NHS waiting lists, walk-in GP centres in Scotland and the Rishi Sunak / David Lammy double-act on prostate cancer. The pair also take a considered look at news, first reported in the Health Service Journal , that Health and Social Care...

This week Steve is on his own for a special LIVE episode of the podcast from The CARE Show at the NEC in Birmingham. He is joined by two guests; Dr Jan Townson from the Homecare Association and Kehan Zhou from Camascope. They discuss many of the current issues around social care, interaction with the Ten Year Plan and the sectors' vital role in keeping people well for longer. And they consider the...

Steve & Sarah get together to discuss the Labour Party Conference after Steve's first visit to the party's annual gathering in Liverpool. They consider the health announcements made including a pay uplift for care workers and the new 'NHS Online' offer. And they're joined by Baroness Luciana Berger, from the conference, to hear all about a special new temporary select committee to consider the...

Sarah is away so Lord (James) Bethell joins Steve Brine as guest co-host. The pair reflect on the NHS Ten Year Plan two-months on, the return of provider league tables, the resignation of Claire Fuller as Director of Mental Health at NHSE and the government's junk food advertising ban. And they are joined by special guest, Alison Gardiner from Sleepstation to talk about their evidence-based digita...

NHS England Chair, Dr Penny Dash, is in the hot-seat for a very special deep dive interview. This is a wide-ranging chat which covers Penny's journey from clinician to running the entire health service, the abolition of NHSE (and when she really knew it was happening!), the Ten Year Plan and the future of ICB's. They delve into what neighbourhood health really means, whether the NHS will ever achi...

Steve & Sarah are on their hols so Episode 65 is a special pre-recorded interview Steve did a few weeks back with Dr Andrew Murray from the Golf & Health Project. It’s a game Steve has played for over 40 years – and played with his late father including for a period after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Steve and Andrew talk about the project, how it came about and the work it d...

This week Steve & Sarah are joined by head of health at the Tony Blair Institute , Dr Charlotte Refsum. They talk about their new report on the potential of the NHS App, obesity 'fat jab' drugs and the NHS Ten Year Plan for England which they have widely influenced. The pair also look back at their interview with The Loop (Episode 63) about drug taking at UK Summer festivals, as a new Coroner...

For this week's big interview, Steve Brine and Dr Sarah Wollaston talk to Fiona Measham from "The Loop UK" about preventing drug deaths at UK festivals. Their aim is to reduce drug-related harm through healthcare interventions informed by research and drug checking at events - and in city centres. It's a fascinating glimpse into a little talked about aspect of health prevention. The Loop website A...

As the dust settles on the recently published NHS Ten Year Plan, the team sit down for a deep dive interview with one of the most high profile voices in health; Matthew Taylor who leads the NHS Confederation. They unpack the plan, its' strengths and weaknesses and where it should strike the balance between reform and recovery. And they touch on the resident doctors ballot from the BMA which will s...

A special 'pod drop' episode, 24-hours after Ministers publish their much anticipated NHS Ten Year Plan. Steve and Sarah discuss what they've spotted among its 168 pages, what they like, what they don't like and look at some of the inherent risks to its success. Feedback welcome - podcast@stevebrine.com Sponsored by Pulselight. Find out more at pulselight.com -- WhatsApp us: 0333 404 6507 Email: h...

A very special episode recorded in front of a live audience at Cannabis Europa London on Tuesday June 24 2025. Steve and Sarah are joined by Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Matt Hughes from the Medcan Family Foundation and Dr Diego Quattrone from King's College, London. The panel discuss the question 'Cannabis and the NHS: will the UK ever see cannabis readily and easily available?' Feedback welcome and we a...

We return to the studio for Episode 59 and we're talking to Dr Kyle Stewart from Watercress Research about the fascinating work they are doing with watercress. Spoiler alert - it's more than you think! Sarah and Steve also look back at last week's NHS ConFed Expo (from where Steve and Helen Stokes-Lampard recorded a live episode), the possibility of new strikes across the NHS and health tech inves...

Fate brings the original PITNC team back together for a special episode recorded in front of a live audience at ConFed Expo on Thursday June 12 2025. Steve and Helen Stokes-Lampard discuss the spending review, the incoming Ten Year Plan and life in New Zealand's health service. There's also time for a look at assisted dying (here and there), a discussion about 'poo pills' and of course an update o...

The country's top health and politics podcasts is back with another stellar guest - Dame Sally Davies! We talk to Sally about her career which includes being England's Chief Medical Officer and now UK Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), prevention policy, the Salisbury poisonings and the time Steve and Sally went to Argentina! We also reflect on the new Disposable Vapes Act, which cam...

Our second long form interview is with Professor Sir Steve Powis as he heads towards retirement as NHS England's Medical Director after seven years in the role. We find out when he learnt the organisation is to be abolished, what he thinks lies behind the decision and, of course, whether he believes the shift to prevention will happen this time. Steve discusses GLP1 weight loss drugs which are bac...