ABSTRACT
It has been said that meetings 'take minutes and waste hours'. In a modern healthcare organisation there may be issues of geographical spread and travelling time. Complex organisations require a certain number of regular meetings but every attempt should be made to reduce the number and duration of meetings by eliminating unnecessary meetings and ensuring that necessary meetings are conducted effectively and efficiently. This may involve setting aside a particular half day when all routine meetings involving consultants are held, perhaps in conjunction with local continuing professional development (CPD) meetings at a common venue, thus reducing time wasted in travelling. Risk management has become a powerful force within business and public services over the last half century. In addition to routine meetings, there are also meetings with a fixed lifespan to do with managing specific issues or projects. The budget needs to be carefully set in the first place for the whole organisation and for the business units individually.
