I have a friend from ‘oop north’, and aside from a taste for flat caps, real ale and unspeakable rugby league, he’s alright.

One thing he does possess is perspicacity, by the barrow full. I believe the saying goes ‘able to see through a brick further than most’.  Admittedly not a saying I hear a lot, but one he’s used.

Our local cluster medical director and his chum/rival, the former PEC chair, have had a great idea. As leaders of the system they will call together the first senate. In fact it’s already met. There were apparently eight GPs present.

Just the eight.

No nurses, no consultants, no ‘takeholder’ representatives.

Just the eight.

My friend attended the meeting, believing it to be a multi-professional senate as endorsed by the NHSCB. When challenged by him as to why the absence of consultants etc the answer was that as guidance is lacking at present and they ‘thought it better just to crack on with GPs and invite the others later’.

Obviously there might be some explaining later on as to how the paraphernalia of meetings was already sorted out, the terms of reference etc, when the ‘others’ eventually arrive. At least I assume they will eventually be engaged.

My friend was not keen to contribute under the circumstances and in the absence of any minutes he summed up the meeting thus – ‘Senate,  seen eight, thought say nowt’.