Evidence from around the world shows that enhancing access to high quality comprehensive primary care for disadvantaged people and communities is one of them most important directions for addressing health inequalities. Community health centres are a vital part of this direction in Canada and many other countries, and the recent AOHC conference on Health Equity: Pushing the Boundaries highlighted how to drive this into action on the ground (I spoke on how do this).
Scott Wolfe prepared a powerful paper for Wellesley showing how primary care can make a crucial contribution to meeting the needs of vulnerable populations and advancing overall health equity. He also highlights how improved primary and other health care needs to be supplemented by pharmacare, access to dental services, health promotion and other up-stream investment to keep people well and prevent illness. This is the Second Stage of Medicare always envisioned by its founders and is crucial to achieving health equity.