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 health. And the pair consider how the Government's 10 Year Health Plan - and neighbourhood health ambitions - can help.

And much to her surprise, Deborah steps in to join Steve for this week's Pod Surgery which considers vaping overtaking smoking for the first time and a new breath test for pancreatic cancer trial. You heard it here first!

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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 celebrating the work of The Lions Barbers in Devon.

Oh and on the subject, Sarah drops a bombshell with news she has a cape and a full barbers kit to (lockdown style) cut her grandchildren's hair!

We love to hear from you with suggestions and ideas; find us on all our socials via our LinkTree page and/or email [email protected]

Episode links:

Health Foundation Blog as discussed

Health Foundation letter to the Chancellor ahead of Autumn 2025 Budget

The Lions Barbers Collective

Skip short strolls - a longer daily walk is better for your heart says study

Annals of Internal Medicine

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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 Business Theatre for BeWell.

One event, which we also recorded for this podcast, had Steve in conversation with the head of Community Pharmacy England, Janet Morrison.

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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 Secretary, Wes Streeting, is to launch a review of the prevalence of mental illness and neurodivergence. What lies behind it, what might it recommend and does the Prime Minister have a wider agenda?

And Steve takes a moment to mention a brand new charity he is chairing - which gets it launch this evening - Winchester Cancer Sanctuary.

Oh and they consider dogs and their balls; it's a long story ...

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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 role Reform Party politicians are already playing in local government commissioning care services.

The Care Show

Homecare Association

Camascope

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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 controversial Assisted Dying Bill before Parliament.

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And you can get in touch with ideas or feedback via [email protected]

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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 digital care pathways for persistent sleep problems.

This episode is sponsored by Sleepstation. In a single month, the service helps more NHS patients than the largest sleep clinics in England treat in an entire year, showing that safe, effective care can be delivered at scale - without losing the human touch that makes it meaningful. Find out more at www.sleepstation.org.uk

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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 achieve its own constitutional standards on waiting times and use of the independent sector in doing so.

They also touch on whether NHS IT, as critical national infrastructure, should sit under the Secretary of State in DHSC as the reorganisation is concluded.

And the trio make a date to speak again - on a beach in Devon - with a swim!

We want to hear from you with your feedback on this interview and suggestions for future episodes; [email protected] or find us on our socials via our LinkTree page.

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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 does to make the case for golf as a sport, a means of physical activity across the ages – and some of its other rather extraordinary – impacts on the lives of the people who play; not least as club in the bag of prevention ill health!

Golf & Health Project

Golf in Society

You can watch a short-film Steve made with Golf & Health, during his time as Public Health Minister in 2018, via You Tube

This episode's cover image shows (from left to right); Dr Andrew Murray, Professor Fiona Bull (WHO Programme Manager, Non-Communicable Disease Prevention), Steve Brine, Annika Sorenstam Major Champion and a global ambassador for golf and health), Martin Slumbers (then Chief Executive of The R&A) and Craig Tracey (then Chair of the All-Party Group on Golf) in Westminster at the International Congress on Golf & Health in 2018.

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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 report lands following a death last year at the Boomtown Festival near Winchester.

Other subjects covered in this episode include a look at the ongoing resident doctors strike, the surprise announcement from Dr Sam Roberts that she will step down as CEO of NICE and a 'final' attempt to agree a legally binding global plastics treaty following a landmark report in The Lancet.

Steve & Sarah are taking a break now through August but will return with their next full episode on Thursday September 4 2025. However, do look out for a special recorded episode from Steve on the subject of golf and health which will drop on Thursday August 21 at 08:00.

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