Prevention is the new cure

What actually are preventative measures in healthcare? Who better to explain than Chief Medical Officer for England Chris Whitty, on the Prevention is the New Cure's 100th episode.

The Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sir Chris Whitty suggests that whilst recent public health achievements include a reduction in smoking, that the healthcare sector has failed on childhood obesity. He suggests that current attitudes to the issue are morally unreasonable.

"It took 11 minutes" Steve Brine points out that UK Melanoma cases have hit their highest level ever. James Bethell explains new technology helping to fight against this.

“This is absolutely iconic for our show” James Bethell takes a look at new Targeted Lung Health Checks undertaken by the NHS in retail carparks that are helping to find people with early stage cancer. He suggests that this sort of measure is absolutely the epitome of the podcast’s mission.

“A single injection for life!” James Bethell explains the brand new ‘Verve-102’ injection, that in theory, could replace regular or even daily cholesterol injections with a single shot for life.

“We have seen a trebling of presentations of anaphylaxis to emergency departments in 20 years” James Fox presents examples of tragic and avoidable cases of young people dying from an allergic reaction, in similar circumstances highlighting the case for full ingredient lists on menus in restaurants.

Does Tony Blair have a point? “People say he’s right” says Steve Brine who reflects on Tony Blair’s intervention in Labour leadership discussions this week, and points out how many people have been impressed by his healthcare suggestions.

“He was early on prevention and whole person care” Steve Brine shares what he thinks are some of Andy Burnham’s achievements as health secretary suggesting he was an early voice in the prevention movement, well before it became mainstream conversation within the NHS.

Will healthcare be a major focus in any future Labour Leadership Contest? James Bethell points out just how much focus Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting have already focused on healthcare, as speculation on a Labour leadership challenge continues.

Is this outbreak of Ebola different from previous flare ups? Steve Brine and James Bethell discuss why this particular outbreak of ebola may feel more concerning than in previous cases and why unlike on prior occasions, Western Africa is unlikely to receive much Western funding.

Burnham v Streeting on health policy? How do Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting’s philosophies compare when it comes to healthcare? Steve Brine and James Bethell try to figure out what each potential Labour leadership candidate’s health ideals are.

James Bethell and Steve Brine discuss the Lady Garden Foundation’s garden and the Chelsea Flower Show and highlight just how positive an impact charities such as the foundation are making when it comes to Women’s health research.

“The best networking exercise in Britain” Steve Brine shares his love for Chelsea Flower Show, taking place this week and explains that it makes him ". James Bethell admits that he isn’t such a fan of the gardens on display but that the week provides a networking opportunity like no other.

Living longer doesn’t mean living healthier. "A new analysis says that we are now literally the second worst country when it comes to healthy longevity". This isn’t just about healthcare access anymore. It’s about the conditions people live in every day. #Health #PITNC #Access

Does the UK’s political culture have a problem with alcohol? James Bethell critiques culture and attitude to alcohol from right across the political spectrum. Do Britain's politicians have a problem with alcohol?

“It’s not behaving like COVID, flu or Measles” Steve Brine explains why despite some concerns, the risk of a major incident or epidemic due to the Hantavirus, remains low.

“People are fed up with being treated like a commodity” James Bethell speaks on data collection from NHS patients, and suggests that whilst there are some concerns over privacy… The number one issue patients cite with data collection is the lack of personal care that it can lead to.

“It is turning into a public health problem” James Bethell and Steve Brine discuss the public health issue of alcohol deaths in the UK. James explains why numbers might even be inaccurate as the figures don’t take into account deaths from diseases that are caused by regular drinking habits.

. James Bethell shares his thoughts on the healthcare content of the King’s Speech. He lauds the ‘tying up of loose ends’ but suggests that there could have been more on the ‘rights and responsibilities’ of patients.

Amid speculation of another Labour leadership contest, Steve Brine shares his view that members of political parties should not help to decide the Prime Minister and that the current system borders on ‘corrupt’.

Hundreds of billions lost each year because people are too unwell to work. "So this isn't even a health system failure, it is a economic model collapse. And I just am staggered that people don't take it more seriously". #Health #PITNC #Economic

Steve Brine and James Bethell discuss the response to last week’s interview with Jonathan Ashworth, and the discussion that they had about his stroke-recovery. Katja Weird from The Manchester Metropolitan University got in touch to decry the “Shocking state” of rehabilitation services available.

Should early airport beers be banned? Steve Brine asks whether airlines and airports have a role to play in ensuring that clearly intoxicated passengers are prevented from boarding flights, rather than banning alcohol service entirely.

“The fact we are moving so slowly is a choice we have made” James Bethall examines the western healthcare industry and suggests that things are not working in a system that is “incompetent” and “inefficient”

James Bethell reacts to the news that Jiangsu Hengrui has overtaken AstraZeneca as the world’s largest clinical sponsor. He points out that whilst China’s medical advances will help the industry on a global stage, it could have detrimental effects on the UK and the USA healthcare sectors.

As election results flood in from across the country Steve Brine and James Bethell chat about what the results could mean for healthcare. Will the UK see a new health secretary in the next couple of weeks?

Is OpenAI about to crash? James Bethell asks whether OpenAI is about to crash in stock value and compares the possibility to the internet’s crash of 2001. He points out that following on from that, real progress and innovation was made… are we about to see the same for AI?

Don't fall into the trap putting off your health check. Jonathan Ashworth explains how he kept putting his health check off, “I kept putting it off, I'll sort it out next week”. When it comes to your health, that delay can actually matter more than you think. #Health #PITNC #Awareness

What actually happens when you have a stroke- and what can you do about it? Jonathan Ashworth explains how he's using Lego and Shakespeare to rebuild his neural pathways – retraining the brain, one step at a time. #Stroke #Recovery #Health #Neuroplasticity #PITNC #NHS

Did you know someone has a stroke every five minutes in the UK? Strokes aren’t just an older person’s illness—people in their 40s and 50s are at risk too. It’s a crisis hiding in plain sight. So how do we raise awareness? #Health #Stroke #PublicHealth #PITNC #Awareness #NHS

Time to care about health, not just healthcare? Will one of the five parties in a new political system in England adopt this stance? Will mainstream parties be able to contend with new "populist" approaches to the NHS?

"The depressing news for those of us in UK healthcare policy is that on most indicators, the NHS tends to perform worse than the average... and some of the edges we had in the past no longer seem to be there." Sebastian Rees discusses comparisons of the NHS with systems in other countries

“The most destructive and dangerous type” reflects on the confusing output of messaging from the United States Health Secretary, RFK Jr., He critiques, in particular, his stance on vaccines, that the most U.S. citizens don’t seem to agree with.

“We are completely flying blind on this” James Bethell looks back on Peter Mandelson’s links to Chinese health and tech companies and asks: “should we feel comfortable with big Chinese companies and investors buying up British life science”?

“I don't think that MPs have really covered themselves in glory” Steve Brine suggests that MP’s conduct surrounding the mandelson’s scandal has not been up to scratch, and that Olly Robbins was right to say that the humble address on the issue was ‘confused’ and ‘muddled’.

Prevention gets talked about, but never truly prioritised Former health ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell agree that its the same old script with no real change #UKPolitics #NoChange #PITNC

Does Wes Streeting understand the prevention agenda? James Bethell's assessment

Plenty of testing happening just not where it’s needed most. The people at highest risk are still the hardest to reach disconnected from the system, missing from the data, and overlooked by default. So maybe the answer isn’t pushing the same approach harder. #UKPolitics #PITNC #Testing

James Bethell and Steve Brine look back on a 50 year old Whitehall document that rather succinctly sums up the ‘prevention is the new cure’ cause. They reflect on what has changed and what has stayed the same in the NHS across the last half-century.

DJ, Yukari, explains the concept of longevity rave, created with co-founder Tina Woods. Yukari describes the raves as events designed to be a “music-movement experience centered around dancing for wellness, health and longevity”.

“The actuality of it is tough” James Bethell reflects on the loss of 1,300 NHS England jobs, pointing out that the cuts have particularly affected women and BAME workers. He also cites concerns on the loss of some of the services top minds on data collection.

"Alcohol retail is 100% owned by the state" Steve Brine explains to James Bethell how alcohol sales work in Sweden and how the system has helped to change alcohol culture in the country, he points out just how different it is to the UK system.

Tina Woods explains the joy score: a relatively new concept that is set to help measure joy and human connection.

“100% banned with high consequences” James Bethell argues that the new junk food advertising ban may not go far enough, as Steve Brine highlights that some companies are already exploiting loopholes.

From logging symptoms online to getting prescriptions delivered straight to your door, technology and logistics are transforming healthcare. Services like this show how convenient, fast, and accessible treatment can be, far beyond traditional GP appointments. #Prevention #DigitalHealth

The NHS lung cancer screening programme is catching cancers early. 63% detected at stage one, when treatment is most effective. Mobile scanners and innovative outreach are changing the game in early detection. #NHSInnovation #LungCancerAwareness #EarlyDetection

The "Neighbourhood Health Framework" might sound dull, but it is the delivery mechanism for the next decade of healthcare in the UK. Are "Neighbourhood Health Centres" just a rebrand of General Practice? And can this work if the BMA and GPs aren't at the heart of the design? #Healthcare #Politics

Focusing on prevention over cure: Early intervention programs aim to support young families before issues escalate Something beyond what traditional GP care can provide. #HealthForAll #PreventionMatters #Prevention

The "Neighbourhood Health Framework" might sound dull, but it is the delivery mechanism for the next decade of healthcare in the UK. Are "Neighbourhood Health Centres" just a rebrand of General Practice? And can this work if the BMA and GPs aren't at the heart of the design? #Healthcare #Politics

By 2029, the NHS won't just be a building—it will be in your pocket. 📱 Digital isn’t an "individual athlete" or a side project. It’s the connective tissue of the entire 10-year workforce plan.

Jenny Shand discusses the critical distinction between a technology being regulated and it being effectively deployed. Using AI for chest diagnostics as an example, she highlights:

"The fact that we’re behind on all 14 basic UN vaccines is a national disgrace." Former Health Minister Lord Bethell on the "old fashioned" infrastructure behind the UK's vaccination strategy. It’s killing productivity and draining the NHS.

"I'm just worried that this is literally going to be the drumbeat of the British health system for the foreseeable future unless we get a grip of it.” is scathing of the UK's vaccination strategy, as 27 cases of Meningitis B are confirmed in an outbreak in Kent.

No Smoking Day: A masterclass in PR, or a real win for public health? 🚭 It’s great for fundraising and "on the telly" moments, but the evidence for long-term impact is shaky. Is it time to move past "awareness days" and focus on deeper prevention? #PublicHealth #HealthPolicy

In Macedonia, 50% of adults smoke. 🚬 It’s one of the highest rates in Europe, making lung cancer the country's #1 killer. The paradox? Unlike the UK, they have great access to GPs—but you can't out-doctor a prevention crisis. Prevention > Cure. 🏥 #PublicHealth #Health

"I'm just terrified about it...is this going to have the same kind of impact as the junior doctors strike?" GPs are now at a crossroads with the government. Is this a necessary stand, or will patients pay the ultimate price? The full episode is out now. #NHS #GPStrikes #Healthcare

"I'm hearing on the jungle drums that the impact of AI on productivity in the NHS... has not yet come through with the numbers." AI might not be the silver bullet the NHS was expecting. It'll be picked apart in the next episode of Prevention is the New Cure.

"As the day approached, I became more and more reconciled to leaving...I just moved on." As the Hereditary Peers Bill passes, Lord Bethell reflects on leaving the House of Lords.

"You could see GP practices handing back contracts, and then not not working in the NHS."

James Bethell and Steve Brine discuss the "political lexicon" of the NHS. Bethell argues that to truly modernise health, we must pivot from massive infrastructure projects to preventative measures like school food initiatives and vaccines.

How does a new MP tell their constituents they aren't getting the new hospital building they were promised? Steve Brine and James Bethell discuss why the political lexicon around the NHS is broken. 🏥🚫

Steve and James discuss the bittersweet transition in the Public Health Minister role. As Ashley Dalton steps down to continue her treament for Stage 3 breast cancer, the mantle passes to Sharon Hodgson.

James calls out the absence of medics in the fight against junk food. Are we just treating the outcomes of "Neanderthal bodies" in a 21st-century food world? Steve and James discuss why we are bankrupting the country by choosing prescriptions over prevention. #PublicHealth #NHS #ObesityCrisis

To harness the AI revolution in healthcare, we need more than just more doctors; we need the courage to unlock the valuable data we already possess. 💡 #AI #HealthcareInnovation #DataDriven

Lord James Bethell breaks down the "Good" vs. the "Bad" of the Make America Healthy Again movement. The "Bad"? The anti-vax, anti-science conspiracies. ❌ The "Good"? A radical shift in how we look at food. 🍎✅ "We have chosen to have the junk food system we have. It didn't happen by accident."

"People don't like repeating the same basic stuff again and again." — @JimBethell We trust Tesco with our shopping habits and banks with our life savings. Why does the political class think we don't trust the NHS with our health data to save our lives?