Prevention is the New Cure

A little update on from Steve Brine around the big Autumn specials now underway - and where next for Prevention is the new cure!Contact the team - podcast@stevebrine.com

For the first of our BIG Autumn interview specials, Former Minister Steve Brine speaks with Sir Charlie Mayfield about his landmark Keep Britain Working review.The former John Lewis boss talks candidly about why he accepted the role, what his initial report says, why he knows Andy Burnham is on-side and insists this is not just another report delivered to Ministers - and forgotten.The conversation covers young people and the job market, 'masking' at work and why 'presenteeism' is commonplace as well as the impact of his proposed reforms on small employers. They also talk at length about the disability employment gap. Steve also wants to know if Sir Charlie will stick around to see his work through to its conclusion and manages to call him Boris!You can access the Keep Britain Working pages here.You can get in touch with this podcast via podcast@stevebrine.com or on all our socials, including X and LinkedIn.This episode is produced by Brine Health Ltd.

Former Chancellor and longest-serving Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt joins Steve Brine and James Bethell.In this episode, Jeremy Hunt breaks down the harsh economic realities facing the NHS, why throwing more money at healthcare won't fix it, and what a future Conservative health strategy must look like under Shadow Health Secretary Damian Hinds. The trio dives into structural reforms, realigning local financial incentives, shifting focus from acute hospital care to prevention, and using AI and single patient electronic records to drive productivity.Key Topics Covered:The Fiscal Envelope: Why Labour and Conservatives both face strict spending limits on healthcare.Fixing Systemic Incentives: Shifting focus from 18-month operational targets to long-term prevention.The Power of Data: How electronic health records (EPR) and AI can target high-cost care upstream.Social Care & Political Realities: Andy Burnham’s ambitions vs. fiscal resistance.Regulating AI in Healthcare: Balancing rapid innovation with patient safety.

Steve Brine and James Bethell are back, as politics returns to business as usual!In today's episode, they break down the fiscal reality facing the new government, why OpenAI’s integration with Epic Systems is a watershed moment for health data, and whether high-street cholesterol checks in pharmacies are a game-changer or just a drop in the ocean.They also tackle the skyrocketing costs of ADHD diagnoses, £343M of mental health funding, and Steve asks James whether he'd rather do exercise or have a nap.Oh and the guys reveal what their chosen specialist subjects would be in the unlikely event they were ever on Mastermind!

Is the UK health service moving fast enough on prevention, clinical trials, and AI? In this summer special episode, James sits down with Professor Lucy Chappell — Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and CEO of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).Together, they dive deep into the future of healthcare research, how to bridge the gap between medical breakthroughs and patient delivery, the real role of AI in grant applications and trial management, and why health prevention must become everyone's responsibility.Subscribe for weekly discussions on health, policy, and reform: https://www.preventionisthenewcure.com"Prevention is the New Cure" is hosted by former health ministers Lord James Bethell and Steve Brine. We explore the big ideas, politics, and innovations shaping the future of healthcare and life sciences in the UK and globally.📩 Contact Us:Email: hello@preventionisthenewcure.comWhatsApp: 0333 404 6577Website: https://www.preventionisthenewcure.com#NHS #HealthTech #MedicalResearch #PublicHealth #ArtificialIntelligence #Policy #HealthcareInnovation

Breast cancer isn't just an older person's disease—1 in 6 diagnoses in the UK occur in women under 49. In this episode, Steve Brine sits down with Sophie Dopierala-Bull, Director of Services at the high-profile breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!.Together, they discuss the late founder Kris Hallenga's legacy, the critical warning signs young women are often told to ignore, and how AI and personalised risk-stratified screening could revolutionise cancer detection in the NHS.🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for weekly episodes on healthcare policy, prevention, and public health🔗• CoppaFeel! Official Website & Check Reminders: https://coppafeel.org• The Podcast: https://www.preventionisthenewcure.comCoppaFeel! was founded in 2009 by Kristin Hallenga after she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer at age 23. The charity exists to ensure all breast cancers in young people are diagnosed early and accurately through education, awareness, and policy advocacy.

In Episode 109 of Prevention is the New Cure, former health ministers James Bethell and Steve Brine dissect Andy Burnham’s first fortnight in office. They break down his heavy emphasis on social media communication, his plan to reframe social care as economic infrastructure, and the potential risks of cracking down on private care providers.Plus, they look at how cutting-edge life sciences and adult vaccines are reshaping chronic disease prevention, debunk common summer health myths, and share their top book recommendations for the summer break.

On today's episode, with James Bethell away, Steve Brine is joined by journalist and author Isabel Hardman (The Spectator) for an in-depth dive into a momentous week in British politics and health policy.Together, they break down Yvette Cooper’s surprising appointment as Health Secretary, Andy Burnham’s ambitious vision to transform social care, and why the NHS struggles with "learned helplessness" when responding to major public health scandals.Plus: a look at expanded MenB vaccine access and whether singing on prescription is actually good for your health!