OK, so the meeting to square off the ward upgrade plan, the summer theatre closure plan, the length of stay plan, the day case rate improvement plan, the 18-week plan, the demand management plan, the winter planning plan, the income plan and the 7.5 per cent cost improvement plan was not as well organised as it arguably could have been.

Forgetting to invite the director of operations probably didn’t help.

Forgetting to provide water for a meeting held in a loft conversion at 2pm on the hottest day of the year didn’t do much to lift the mood, but perhaps explains the chairing - Basil Fawlty on speed was the general consensus of opinion.

But there is still no excuse for saying: “Sod it: let’s go watch the cricket.”

And there is absolutely no excuse for the assembled mass to start cheering and race each other down four flights of stairs for the best seats in front of the TV.

And while it’s not against the rules for people to start availing themselves of cheap social club lubrication at 5.01pm, this is not the type of behaviour role modelling I would expect from the assembled throng.

In fact, I’d sack the lot of them if it weren’t for the fact that three of the 12 work for the PCT and another two for social services, plus the HR advice is the usual risk averse guff along the lines of: “It wouldn’t hold up in an employment tribunal.”

And, damn it, because they all sat through the full afternoon and evening sessions from Lord’s, joint working and productivity has gone through the roof.

Length of stay has gone down, delayed discharges have also gone down, a savings plan above trajectory and the whole lot of them as happy as sandboys. In fact they’re all planning to go to Old Trafford for the day next year - together. This time last year they couldn’t agree on the definition of a bed.

Note to self: install Sky - everywhere. Sports package only.

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