LIVERPOOL'S renowned Lourdes hospital marked its 80th anniversary yesterday with a new name. Lourdes, the first private hospital in the city, was set up by nuns from the order The Poor Servants of the Mother of God in 1929.

By Madeleine Brindley Health Editor THESE are the first pictures of how Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan's second private hospital will look like. The pounds 20m, 25-bed Vale Healthcare hospital will be built on land at Hensol, close to the prestigious Vale of Glamorgan Golf and Spa Resort.

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Accuray Incorporated , a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, today announced that the Hirslanden Clinic in Zurich, part of the renowned Hirslanden group of private hospitals, has purchased a CyberKnife System.

By KLARA KUBIAK A POLISH healthcare company plans to open a small private hospital in Ireland. The facility will be aimed at Ireland's expanding Polish community who have had difficulty communicating with English speaking doctors in Irish hospitals.

By FABIOLA SANCHEZ CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez warned Monday that his government could take over private hospitals if they continue raising prices for health care.