meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
The New Statesman | UK politics and culture

Are we living through an overdiagnosis epidemic?

The New Statesman | UK politics and culture

The New Statesman

News & Politics, Society & Culture, News, Politics

4.41.4K Ratings

🗓️ 26 March 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In today's Spring Statement Labour are having to make cuts - and welfare has been hit hard. Last week the health secretary Wes Streeting said that too many people were being written off work due to overdiagnosis. A statement which received considerable backlash.


But what do we really mean by overdiagnosis? And how is it affecting public health?


Hannah Barnes is joined by neurologist and author Suzanne O’Sullivan about her increasing fears of overdiagnosis and the impact it can have on both physical and mental health; what she thinks about those comments from Wes Streeting (and the reaction to them); and the relationship between public policy and health.


This conversation was recorded in partnership with the Cambridge Literary Festival.


If you’d like to register for tickets for the upcoming festival from 23-27 April please follow the link: cambridgeliteraryfestival.com






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

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

As the alarm goes off, you roll over and switch on the light, and so begins your energy usage for the day.

0:07.0

You drive to work, perhaps grab a takeaway coffee on the way.

0:11.0

Have you ever wondered how much your daily routine costs the planet?

0:15.0

In her new book, Environomics, leading economist Darshini David explores the global green economy and how it will affect us,

0:22.4

from the clothing we wear and the food we eat to the way we consume energy.

0:26.8

Environmentomics, out now in paperback and audio.

0:32.5

This is a paid advertisement from BetterHelp.

0:36.1

Who makes your support system? Friends, family, or even a

0:40.5

therapist? In a culture that praises doing it all alone, it's easy to forget that we're stronger

0:46.0

with support. Therapy isn't just for moments of crisis. It's a tool for self-reflection,

0:51.3

resilience and growth. It helps us set boundaries, manage stress, and gain clarity in a world that rarely slows down.

1:00.0

BetterHelp offers accessible online therapy designed to fit into your life wherever you are.

1:07.0

With professionals covering a range of specialties, you can get the support you need on your terms.

1:13.2

Because asking for help isn't a weakness. It's a strength.

1:17.2

Visit betterhelp.com today to get matched with a therapist who's right for you.

1:25.9

The New Statesman.

1:31.0

One of the first where you are, we understand,

1:33.2

going to try and claw back money is people who have been signed off because of mental health problems.

1:38.4

Today, the government will be unveiling its spring statement.

1:42.4

It's an event the Chancellor Rachel Reeves had hoped would pass by fairly innocuously.

1:47.2

But that was prior to the realisation that the £9.9 billion headroom she thought she had

1:52.7

available at the last budget had disappeared.

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in -2 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The New Statesman, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The New Statesman and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.