Capital investment in European health systems has to take account of an array of challenges and opportunities: the demographic and epidemiological transitions associated with an ageing population; advances in medical technologies and pharmaceuticals; rising public expectations; and persistent health inequalities.

This volume presents 11 case studies from across Europe and these offer a variety of perspectives on current issues relating to health capital investment and ways of trying to meet present challenges as well as those of the future. The case studies include the Orbis Medical Centre, Sittard, and the Martini Hospital, Groningen (both in the Netherlands); the St Olav's Hospital in Trondheim (Norway); the New Karolinska Solna Hospital in Stockholm (Sweden); the Coxa Hospital in Tampere (Finland); the Rhön Klinikum Group (Germany); the John Paul II Hospital in Krakow (Poland); the Alzira model in the Valencia region (Spain); regional planning in Northern Ireland and Tuscany (Italy); and the Private Finance Initiative (England).