Intensive care medicine developed in Europe following the polio epidemic in Denmark in 1952 and is now a specialty in its own right. Across Europe differences exist between countries regarding unit size, policy, staffing, and patient demographics. There is in particular a marked north/south divide, with smaller units dealing with sicker patients in the south than the north. The United Kingdom appears to be similar to the countries of Southern Europe. Guidelines for training and structure are being developed in an attempt to create more uniformity and improve communication between units.