The report finds examples of good practice relating to: the emergency medical assessment unit (EMAU); and the preventing dependency teams (PDT) which provide a positive example of different agencies working together with patients and carers, in order to help patients remain in their homes for treatment. Causes of concern are: the difficulties in discharging patients back into the community, which has led to bed shortages on some wards; and the problems in recruiting sufficient staff, including nurses and operating department practitioners.