The Story

On nearly every metric, the UK is ranked as one of the worst places in the Western world to have cancer. But today, the government is rolling out an ambitious new National Cancer Plan to tackle the crisis. Will it be able to shorten waiting lists? Or do cultural problems within the NHS warrant a deeper fix?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:
Shaun Lintern, health editor, The Sunday Times.
Jeremy Langmead, brand and content director of MR PORTER and contributor to The Times.
Host: Manveen Rana.
Producers: Micaela Arneson, Harry Stott.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Why is Britain still lagging behind on cancer care?
Further listening: Will a review into mental health fix a system in crisis?
Clips: ITV News.
Photo: Illustration by Pete Baker for The Sunday Times.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A public inquiry resumes this week to investigate the deaths of over 2000 mental health inpatients in the care of NHS trusts in Essex. We unpick some of the themes the Lampard Inquiry has been hearing, and speak to a whistleblower about her experiences working on one of the wards.

This programme includes material that some listeners may find distressing, including descriptions of suicide.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:
Melanie Leahy, campaigner and mother of Matthew
‘Anna’, whistleblower and former staff at the Linden Centre
Host: Daniel Gordon.
Producers: Daniel Gordon, Edward Drummond, Taryn Siegel.
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised, the following organisations can help:

SANE is a charity which provides emotional support and specialist services for people who need help with their mental health and their families.
Its helpline, SANEline, is 0300 304 7000. Details of other ways to get in touch can be found at sane.org.uk

MIND is another mental health charity offering support, its main information line is 0300 102 1234 Details of other helplines can be found at mind.org.uk

The Samaritans provides 24 hour emotional support to people struggling to cope or relatives bereaved by suicide. Call 116 123, or visit samaritans.org.

Further listening: Britain’s mental health reckoning - part one.
Clips: The Lampard Inquiry.
Photo: Joe Giddens/PA Wire.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest and possibly final batch of documents was released on Friday by the US Department of Justice in their investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. New shocking discoveries have been made over the weekend that put Lord Mandelson, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and now Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s ex-wife, in the spotlight. What have we learned so far? And what does the future hold for the rich and powerful mentioned in these documents?

Details of these emails and the identities of those who sent them are unproven.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Kate Mansey, assistant editor and royal editor for The Times
Host: Manveen Rana
Producer: Julia Webster and Sophie McNulty
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: What’s in the Epstein files? The key revelations so far
Further listening: Andrew & Epstein - The King acts
Clips: The Guardian, BBC, Channel 4, DW News, The National
Photo: Getty Images.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A public inquiry is currently investigating the deaths of over 2000 mental health inpatients in the care of NHS trusts in Essex. The inquiry resumes this week, but the fact it exists at all is largely down to the campaign of one woman; Melanie Leahy, whose son Matthew died in Chelmsford in 2012.

This programme includes material that some listeners may find distressing, including descriptions of suicide.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Melanie Leahy, campaigner and mother of Matthew.
Host: Daniel Gordon.
Producers: Daniel Gordon, Edward Drummond.
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised, the following organisations can help:

SANE is a charity which provides emotional support and specialist services for people who need help with their mental health and their families. Its helpline, SANEline, is 0300 304 7000. Details of other ways to get in touch can be found at sane.org.uk

MIND is another mental health charity offering support, its main information line is 0300 102 1234 Details of other helplines can be found at mind.org.uk

The Samaritans provides 24 hour emotional support to people struggling to cope or relatives bereaved by suicide. Call 116 123, or visit samaritans.org.

Clips: Melanie Leahy, Essex Police, Lampard Inquiry, Sky News, The Telegraph, UK Parliament Youtube channel, Channel 5 News.
Photo: JOE GIDDENS/PA
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1992, Helen Down's brother Richard was studying for a master’s in artificial intelligence at Cardiff University. There, he had a brief side hustle as a sperm donor - a confession he'd only made to his family as an adult. Through a DNA website, the link was made and Helen met her niece and nephew for the first time in 2024 - the product of her brother’s sperm donation 30 years ago. So, what exactly happened at at the family reunion? And how did these new family members unlock an even bigger mystery?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Read by: Helen Down.
Producer: Dave Creasey.
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]
Read more: What happened when a sperm donor met his unknown kids
Photo: Tim Jobling, Duncan Elliot for The Times Magazine.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.