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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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:

• The China Reckoning: How Jiangsu Hengrui overtook AstraZeneca and what it means for UK/US national security.
• The AI "Crash": Why 90% of AI startups may fail and what the "Middle of AI" looks like.
• The MHRA’s New Vision: Insights from Lawrence Tallon on digital technology and international reciprocity.
• US Politics & Health: Will Dr. Oz replace RFK Jr. in the American health landscape?
• The "Pre-loading" Debate: Should airport alcohol sales be banned?

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This episode is produced by Calum Macdonald and is part of the Shortbread Media family.

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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 Ashworth on his Stroke: A candid account of the moment everything changed - and what it reveals about “silent” risk.
• Recovery, Lego & Neuroplasticity: How rebuilding with Lego, learning piano, and even reciting Shakespeare are helping retrain the brain after stroke.
• Prevention vs Reality: From missed health checks to lifestyle risks, why do individuals - and governments - struggle to act before it’s too late?
• The Biobank Breach: A major data security scare raises urgent questions about trust in the UK’s most valuable health research resource.
• Britain’s Health Decline: New data shows we’re falling behind on healthy life expectancy - posing not just a health crisis, but an economic one.
• The Culture Problem: From alcohol to everyday habits, are we too comfortable with the behaviours making us ill?

Plus, a “brain-boosting beer” claim under the microscope—science or spin?

Prevention may be the cure—but only if we take it seriously.

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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 hay fever and discusses the launch of the new UK Allergy Strategy.
• Mandelson & Geopolitics: A frank discussion on Lord Mandelson’s appointment, Chinese influence in UK Life Sciences, and the "distractions" slowing down government.
• The Vaccine Wrap: Analysis of the COVID Inquiry’s praise for the rollout, the decline in childhood MMR uptake, and the breakthrough RSV jab for pregnant women.
• RFK Jr & MAGA Health: James previews his upcoming trip to the US to investigate the "Make America Healthy Again" movement.
• The NHS Model Debate: Seb Rees from the IPPR joins the show to discuss whether switching to a European-style insurance system would actually fix the NHS.

Plus, did School PE ruin exercise for a generation?

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Email: [email protected]

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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: Oliver Kemp (Prostate Cancer Research) explains why the UK is lagging behind Europe and how we can flip the "red to green" on the screening model.
• The GP Debate: Do GPs need to stop being "country doctors" and start being "risk managers"?

Plus, Charlotte Refsum reports from The Academy of Medical Sciences and we hear from:

• Sir Harpal Kumar, Chief Scientific Officer & President International at GRAIL.
• Emma Greenwood, AMS Policy Director.

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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 drain' and job losses for 1,300 members of staff.

Later, Steve and James are joined by DJ partners Tina Woods and Yukari, Co-Founders of Longevity Raves.

They discuss:

• What actually is a longevity rave?
• The new concept of a Joy Score, and how that might be useful from a medical point of view.
• Why social connection is an often forgotten but important part of general practise.
• Why James is pro rave?

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This episode is produced by Shortbread Media / Tim Pont and Calum Macdonald

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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 drugs, we dive deep into the policy failures and industrial barriers keeping Britain sick. Professor Jebb explains why "willpower" is a myth in a toxic food environment and why the government needs to stop "leaving the food system to Tesco."

Connect with the Podcast: 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 WhatsApp: 0333 4046507 ✅ Subscribe for weekly insights from the heart of health politics!

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