84. NHS Boss Sir Jim Mackey on Prevention, GP Health Checks & his future

84. NHS Boss Sir Jim Mackey on Prevention, GP Health Checks & his future

Author: Steve Brine & James Bethell February 11, 2026 Duration: 51:27
Prevention is the New Cure
HealthHealth & FitnessFitnessGovernmentNewsPolitics

In this episode of Prevention is the New Cure, former Health Ministers Steve Brine and James Bethell sit down with Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS England, for a wide-ranging and candid discussion about the future of the NHS.


Sir Jim addresses the crisis facing NHS demand, the limits of hospital-centric care, and why prevention, neighbourhood health systems, and disruptive reform are essential if the NHS is to survive the next decade.


🔍 Key topics include:

  • Why the NHS “can’t carry on doing things the same way”
  • The reality behind the 10-Year NHS Plan
  • Shifting funding from hospitals into community and preventative care
  • The future of GP health checks — and why GPs are divided
  • Can prevention really reduce demand on hospitals?
  • NHS productivity, technology, and patient-owned data
  • Lessons from Northumbria’s whole-system health model
  • The role of community pharmacy in prevention
  • Resident doctors’ strikes and workforce morale
  • Maternity safety, regulation, and patient trust
  • How political instability impacts NHS decision-making
  • oh and his beloved Newcastle Football Club!


This episode goes beyond slogans and gets into the hard trade-offs facing health leaders: money, workforce, culture, and whether the NHS can truly shift from crisis response to prevention.


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Prevention is the New Cure is a health and politics podcast hosted by former UK Health Ministers Steve Brine & James Bethell. Drawing on their experience inside government, they unpack how political decisions shape the NHS, public health, fitness, and everyday wellbeing. Each week, listeners can expect thoughtful conversations on prevention - from tackling chronic disease and obesity to mental health, social care, and the future of healthcare funding. With candid reflections, behind-the-scenes insight, and expert guests, the show explores what needs to change so that staying well becomes as important as treating illness. Whether you follow health policy, work in the system, or just care about living longer, healthier lives, this is your place to listen episodes that challenge, inform, and inspire.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 96

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