Public health has got to want to participate!

The lead paper makes a clear case for why better linkages between public health and primary care are necessary in order to address the very significant challenges faced by health systems. Millar and colleagues observe that many public health professionals do not appear to be prepared to take part in the reform of the acute care system. But while Millar et al. provide some historical analysis of how this situation has come about, their article largely refers to recent history in Canada. In this commentary, the author presents a longer-term historical analysis and the experience of other countries to illustrate that there have been, and are, times and places with excellent links between public health and primary care.