<p>Although the benefits of emollient therapy have been widely acknowledged in dermatology treatments (Cork 1997), emollients have tended to be undervalued and under-used in general care and wound management. Healthy skin is an essential part of patient wellbeing, and emollient therapy is integral to the management of skin problems. The integration of tissue viability and dermatology services in the Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust provided an opportunity to evaluate how and why emollient therapy is implemented. In practice, the authors have identified that healthcare practitioners need guidance and advice on emollient therapy to improve their care delivery. This article is based on the emollient therapy currently used in the authors’ trust.</p>