Reflections

Abstract

In this endpiece the author reflects on the book as a whole and on his career in public health over 40 years. He considers the challenges, joys, and frustrations and pays tribute to the giants whose shoulders contemporary practitioners stand on. In taking the long view on how public health has changed during his career, he paints a picture of the route map necessary to make a contribution in the twenty-first century and regrets some of the recent developments in the organizational arrangements in England that have impeded progress. His hope is that this personal account may inspire a new generation of public health workers as they make their way with an ever-evolving agenda.