70. Are we over-diagnosing mental illness?


Author: Steve Brine & James Bethell October 16, 2025 Duration: 49:52
Podcast episode
70. Are we over-diagnosing mental illness?

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 ...


Thanks for listening to our podcast; please follow the show and find us on all our social media channels via LinkTree. You can email podcast@stevebrine.com with feedback, ideas and to suggest guests. Contact on behalf of commercial guests are considered on a case-by-case basis and sponsorship opportunities are available.


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


More episodes

Duration: 43:02
In this episode of Prevention is the New Cure, former Health Ministers Steve Brine and Lord James Bethell join from around the world: James from Blackpool and Steve from North Macedonia.They dive into the looming GP cont…

Duration: 58:19
The £200bn Question: Why Isn’t the NHS Getting Healthier?In this episode of Prevention is the New Cure, former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell take analyse the status quo of UK health policy. With NHS spen…

Duration: 49:05
Can we "prescribe" our way out of a national health crisis?In this episode, former Health Ministers James Bethell and Steve Brine are joined by Charlotte Refsum (Head of Health at the Tony Blair Institute) to dissect the…

Duration: 42:29
Steve & James return with episode 82 of the health and politics podcast, Prevention is the new cure.This week, to mark Stroke Prevention Day on Thursday, the guys talk to Juliet Bouverie from the Stroke Association about…

Duration: 51:44
For their first episode of 2026, Steve & James pick over the big stories in health and politics this week including the new NHS Online service, junk food advertising ban and the rollout of a new chicken pox vaccine for c…

Duration: 44:38
As the increasingly bitter war of words between Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, and the British Medical Association hots up James and Steve discuss who really are the 'moaning minnies' of the NHS.They also consider the…

Duration: 43:33
Sarah calls it a day as she swims away into cold water retirement. The pair discuss the latest strikes by Resident Doctors and some new polling from Future Health Research on what the public think about paying more tax a…

Logo
Select station
VOL