The Prescription Strength Podcast

Finding the right healthcare can be surprisingly difficult.
Who should you see? Should you wait for the NHS or consider going private? How do you compare providers, understand waiting times, work out what you’re entitled to — and know whether the person you’ve found online is actually reputable?
In this episode I’m joined by Roxanne Stevenson Brown, founder and CEO of Find Care Compare, a platform designed to help people navigate NHS and private healthcare options in one place.
We talk about why healthcare has become so difficult to navigate, the growing overlap between NHS and private care, Right to Choose, reviews versus actual clinical outcomes, and why women so often become the unofficial “chief medical officers” for their entire families.
We also discuss Roxanne’s bigger ambition: making healthcare information easier to access regardless of who you know, where you live or how well you understand the NHS.
Find Care Compare: findcarecompare.com

Christine Hobson was struggling with her health in her 50s. She had arthritis, poor sleep, low mood and found everyday movement increasingly difficult.
Then, in her 60s, things changed.
Christine took up running after retirement, completed her first London Marathon — and eventually went on to complete more than 100 marathons, including one in Antarctica. She later discovered strength training and powerlifting too.
Now 73, Christine has a refreshingly different perspective on ageing: we spend far too much time worrying about what movement might do to us, and not enough worrying about what happens when we stop moving.
We talk about:
Starting exercise later in life
Arthritis, pain and the fear of movement
Strength training and osteoporosis
Why fitness keeps your options open as you age
Staying socially connected after retirement
The danger of gradually allowing your world to get smaller
Why it is never too late to start
This is a conversation about much more than exercise. It’s about staying capable, curious and engaged with life as you get older.

Breast cancer treatment can save your life, but what happens when the treatment itself triggers an immediate menopause?
In this episode I’m joined by journalist Carissa Casey, who shares her deeply personal experience of surgical menopause following breast cancer treatment.
While her cancer was successfully treated, she found herself facing severe insomnia, joint pain, recurrent urinary tract infections, weight gain, mood changes and a body she barely recognised—all without ever feeling properly prepared for what lay ahead.
Together we explore:
Why surgical menopause is so different from natural menopause
The impact of suddenly losing oestrogen overnight
Breast cancer, tamoxifen and the difficult conversations around treatment decisions
Why recurrent UTIs are so common after menopause—and what can help
The gaps in menopause support for women after cancer treatment
The importance of informed decision-making and asking questions
How misinformation and expensive supplements can fill the void when women aren’t getting the support they need
This isn’t a conversation about criticising cancer treatment. It’s about recognising that surviving cancer is only part of the journey, and that women deserve honest conversations about what comes next.
Whether you’ve experienced menopause yourself, support someone who has, or work in healthcare, I hope this discussion leaves you feeling better informed and better equipped to ask questions.
If you found this episode helpful, please consider following the podcast and leaving a review. It really does help more people discover these conversations.

We’re surrounded by conflicting advice on fat loss. Hormones, fasting, metabolism, supplements, menopause, "starvation mode"... it's no wonder so many people feel confused.
In this episode I'm joined by coach and author Emma Storey-Gordon to separate evidence from marketing and discuss what really helps women lose fat—and, more importantly, keep it off.
This isn't a conversation about quick fixes. It's about understanding the science, the psychology and the realities of everyday life.
We discuss:
Why a calorie deficit still matters (and why that's not the whole story)
The biggest fat loss myths doing the rounds online
Why smart people often struggle with weight loss
Tracking calories: helpful tool or unnecessary obsession?
Why weekends quietly sabotage progress
The role of habits, environment and decision fatigue
Why maintenance is the hardest—and most important—part of fat loss
How ageing changes the challenge without making success impossible
Why comparing yourself to your younger self (or someone else) is rarely helpful
Emma combines a science background with more than a decade of coaching real women, bringing together evidence with practical strategies that actually work in everyday life.
You can reach her and pre-order the book here:
ESGfitness.co.uk
 https://www.instagram.com/esgfitness/
pre order link: https://ebury.lnk.to/thefatlosscoachforwomen
and substack: https://esgfitness.substack.com/

None of us gets to choose every turning point in our lives.
For GP and author Dr Clara Doran, that turning point came during maternity leave when persistent symptoms eventually led to a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
But this isn't really a conversation about MS.
It's about what happens when life suddenly stops following the plan you thought you had.
We talk about the uncertainty before a diagnosis, the pressure many of us feel to keep going even when we're struggling, and why carrying on isn't always the same thing as coping.
Clara also shares how her diagnosis led her to explore brain health, sleep, rest, creativity and the everyday habits that quietly shape how we think, feel and function.
If you've ever faced a life change you didn't choose or simply feel exhausted by trying to keep all the plates spinning, I think you'll find something here.
Why uncertainty is often harder than certainty
Returning to work after a life-changing diagnosis
The hidden cost of "just coping"
Why rest is not a luxury
Brain health beyond supplements and biohacks
The importance of creativity and joy
Learning to accept a different future without giving up hope
Books mentioned
Doctor Interrupted — Dr Clara Doran
Heads Up: How to Look After Your Brain So It Will Look After You — Dr Clara Doran