In the first of a short series of updates concerning delayed transfers of care (DToC), we’re having a look at how the number of local care home beds affects a hospital’s ability to transfer patients. Our analysis of the data suggests a correlation between the number of local nursing beds and the ability to transfer patients swiftly. We’ll explore some other critical factors (such as availability of domiciliary care and the relationship between reablement and DToC) in future updates.