This report from the Department of Health describes how innovative practice in delivering care in more convenient settings is being developed across the speciality groups of ear, nose and throat, gynaecology, orthopaedics, dermatology, urology and general surgery.

Each chapter describes how one speciality area fared in delivering care in more convenient settings currently. They outline the implications of changing service patterns, the challenges faced on the journey to reform, and most importantly provide advice about how to overcome these challenges. The report demonstrates that what might seem like a small change to a service can often make a big difference to patients.

The NHS has started work on the Next Stage Review and the report will be used as the basis for a dialogue about how to make care closer to home a reality. In the year ahead the Department of Health will work with these specialities in demonstration sites to define the appropriate models of care that can be used nationwide.

The report is available from the Department of Health. http://www.info4local.gov.uk/documents/publications/520661