In 2012, EHMA Annual Conference will focus on the involvement of private sector funders and providers in public healthcare. Many health systems across Europe are altering the role of the private sector in public healthcare, for example through contracting with private providers and using private finance initiatives.     At a time when systems are looking for ways to control costs and drive up quality, it is often argued that private sector involvement is an important lever for change.But is this right, and how can funders, policy makers, health leaders and managers navigate the changing healthcare environment to deliver the best care possible for patients?The conference is intended to explore the opportunities and challenges that the involvement of the private sector brings to those funding and managing service provision. Within the conference we will be exploring three aspects of this: the system and policy challenges, the management challenge of mixed public and private sector provision and finally the role of participatory healthcare.