Prevention is the New Cure

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Latest Episodes:

106. Pharmacy First - analogue idea in a digital age? Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

Is the NHS relying on analogue systems in a digital world?

In Episode 106, former Health Minister Steve Brine and guest co-host Charlotte Refsum (Director of Health Policy at the Tony Blair Institute) discuss the massive gap between NHS prevention ambitions and real-world execution.

From the shockingly low uptake of bowel cancer screening kits in the youngest eligible groups to the government’s brand new £10 billion digital transformation plan, they discuss whether technology can finally solve the NHS productivity crisis. Plus, they break down wearable tech for sepsis monitoring, and the future of community pharmacies.

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Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

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105. Would we pass Trump's fitness test? Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

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 work—or if they just reward the already healthy. They also dive into the NHS's new TikTok strategy to combat foreign misinformation, celebrate the massive hidden success of opt-out HIV testing in A&E, and cross the pond to look at RFK Jr.’s revival of the Presidential Fitness Test under the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) agenda.

Plus, find out why Lord Bethell is trading politics for the DJ booth at Airfest this week and does Puritan Steve agree with more beer at football matches?

Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

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104. AI and our mental health Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

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 appointing a national Maternity Commissioner finally deliver lasting change—or simply create another layer of bureaucracy?

As millions of people begin using AI chatbots for emotional support, Steve and James also discuss artificial intelligence and mental health - debating whether AI could become the front door to mental healthcare, helping people seek support earlier or whether we're underestimating the risks of relying on machines for our wellbeing.

Finally, inspired by one mother's powerful campaign following the loss of her son to melanoma, they discuss why prevention starts with the simplest interventions. Should free sunscreen dispensers become standard at sports clubs, public spaces and outdoor venues as Britain adapts to hotter summers and rising rates of skin cancer?

If you want to learn more about Sharon Scrivens' suncream campaign, read more here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrg5p9x79jo

💡 Prevention is the new cure. New episodes drop every Thursday!

Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

103. Is the future of the NHS scary? Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

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, Penny Dash, on how AI, smartphones, and robotics will fundamentally replace routine doctor visits.

We also take a look at the newly established "NHS Online" - the UK's first truly national digital hospital trust. Could this completely dismantle 75 years of traditional, building-bound healthcare?

Lastly, as the UK swelters in a major summer heatwave, Steve and James debate the scientific benefits of the European afternoon nap (siesta) and how the UK needs to climate-adapt.

💡 Prevention is the New Cure. New episodes drop every Thursday!

Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

102. Do we have our own MAHA movement? Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

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, they break down what this means for parents, tech giants like Meta and TikTok, and the future of public health.

Plus, a massive game-changer in the obesity crisis: the MHRA has approved the UK’s first oral GLP-1 tablet (Wegovy pill) for weight loss. Will a daily tablet shift our public psychology away from "medicalised" injections and into a mass-rollout era?

James also reports live from the HLTH conference in Amsterdam on the massive health innovation class divide, what the US-based "MAHA" (Make America Healthy Again) movement gets right about food policy, and why an NHS cybersecurity breach is a matter of clinical patient safety—not just an IT glitch.

💡 Prevention is the new cure - every Thursday, we land at the intersection of health, policy, and politics.

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Produced by Calum Macdonald at Shortbread Media.

#KeirStarmer #SocialMediaBan #WegovyPill #NHSCyberSecurity #PublicHealth #HealthPolicy #MAHAMovement

Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

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101. AI Vaccines & Precision Cancer Breakthroughs | Live at NHS Confed Expo Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

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, we ask: who is steering the ship, and could an Andy Burnham administration be on the horizon?

We also dive into incredible healthcare breakthroughs: the world’s first AI-designed vaccine passing human trials at the University of Cambridge, and game-changing precision therapies doubling advanced pancreatic cancer survival rates.

Plus, special guests Richard Sloggett (Future Health Research) and Lee-Ann Farrell (J&J) join the pod to discuss social care levies, NHS structural changes, and the reality of innovation on the frontline.

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Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

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100. Chris Whitty opens up Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

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 the Government’s Chief Medical Officer to tackle the science of uncertainty. From his pivotal role in the Tobacco and Vapes Act to the rise of localised air pollution from wood-burning stoves in urban environments, Sir Chris Whitty shares a masterclass on individual vs. societal risk. We also explore the future of the treatments over the next 20 years, including the revolutionary impacts of cancer immunotherapy, RNA vaccines, and AI diagnostics.

A co-production by Calum Macdonald at Shortbread Media, and George Cooper at Footwork Media.

Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

99. Does Tony Blair have a point? May 28, 2026

Show notes

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, food labelling, Owen’s Law, and why allergy care urgently needs reform.

You can find out more about the work of the National Allergy Strategy Group - and read their plan - here.

Also on today's episode:

Why heatwaves are becoming a major NHS challenge
Melanoma skin cancer cases
Ground-breaking lung cancer screening
A “one-and-done” cholesterol injection that could transform prevention
Why GLP-1 drugs are changing healthcare and politics

This episode is produced by Tim Pont and is part of the Shortbread Media family of podcasts.

Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

98. Burnham v. Streeting on Health May 21, 2026

Show notes

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 to saving the NHS?

In this episode, we also discuss:

The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo: is there cause for concern?
Why This year's Chelsea Flower Show is putting health and wellbeing centre stage
Women’s health, mental health and the social determinants of health

Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

97. Who is the Health Secretary? May 14, 2026

Show notes

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 NHS, or a privacy nightmare?
Hantavirus on Cruise Ships: How worried should we really be about the latest outbreak?
The "Beach Body" Pressure: Lord Bethell gets honest about the struggle of health, booze, and cortisol.

Email: podcast@stevebrine.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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