Jun
Rubina Khan
Co-Vice Chair
Local Dental Committee
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
So what do you do -while waiting for trains -reflect on the journey and learning from the LDC conference -no -you do this 🤣
From the Golden Mile to the Geordie Hills: The LLDC Executive’s Northern Expedition
How five delegates from five directions ended up in one city… eventually.
It began not with a meeting, but a mission: Get to Newcastle.
Five members of the Leicester LDC executive committee set off from their respective corners of the Midlands—some from the heart of the Golden Mile, others via suburban train stations, early morning cab rides, or with a very loose relationship to platform timing. Travel arrangements varied, but one goal united them: arrive intact and (ideally) on time for Day One of the 2025 LDC Conference.
There were the usual near-misses, tight connections, and brief moments of existential doubt on unfamiliar platforms. At least one delegate was rerouted via towns they’d only ever heard mentioned during local news weather reports. Another spotted the Angel of the North and assumed—quite reasonably—they’d either reached Newcastle or accidentally stumbled into a modern art symposium.
Despite the odds, all five arrived in Newcastle. No missed connections, no delays, no broken wheels. Just five mildly disoriented professionals and a strong collective desire for coffee.
After a short regroup and reality check (“Yes, it is very hilly,” “No, that isn’t the hotel”), the team marched into the conference venue, ready for an afternoon of lectures, networking, and, hopefully, lunch.
The buffet did not disappoint—in terms of originality. A lentil and pomegranate dip (complete with skins, seeds, and creative licence), beetroot-red snack triangles that looked like tortilla chips but had clearly evolved into something else entirely, and a dollop of avocado styled with what one could only call optimistic flair. Someone remarked it looked like the salad bar had tried improv.
But the brownies? Worth the journey. The flapjacks? An excellent second act. There was even a mysterious orange jelly blob that was sampled, reviewed, and, in one case, quietly pocketed “for later.” Dental professionals, after all, plan ahead.
The afternoon programme began in earnest, promising insight and updates. Stephen Kinnock opened with a confident array of statements that, upon reflection, revealed almost nothing—a masterclass in political presence over policy substance. Jason Wong followed with his address, where the theme of the day—resilience—was delivered with conviction, repetition, and the kind of emphasis usually reserved for motivational posters.
There were sessions on patient access (or lack thereof), indemnity pressures, the growing volume of complaints, and the weary sense of déjà vu creeping into every NHS conversation. One international comparison of indemnity models raised eyebrows: some countries simply pay the family quietly and move on. Here? We pay, and we litigate, and we write a 12-page reflection. Bureaucracy, but with better paperwork.
By late afternoon, energy levels dipped. The final speaker, a decorated former athlete, bravely took the stage to deliver a talk on perseverance and mindset. Ten minutes in, attention spans were being traded for dinner thoughts, and phones began quietly checking Google Maps for nearby restaurants and reviews of hotel pillow firmness.
Then came the descent—literally—into Newcastle’s topography. “No one mentioned the hills,” someone muttered while towing a suitcase across its third bridge. “Or the cobbles,” said another, eyeing their footwear with regret. It was a cardio session disguised as a transfer.
Dinner was… an experience. One delegate’s beef medallions came swimming in pork gravy, while the vegetarian option offered an interpretation of vegetables last seen on avant-garde cookery shows. Still, the company was excellent, and Sir Steve Redgrave’s after-dinner address brought the room back to life.
His Olympic medal was passed around with awe, admiration, and—briefly—suspicion (“Is this real gold?”). We all took turns holding it, before quietly agreeing that anyone working in the NHS who manages to fill out their CPD log, complete their appraisal, and survive a week of patient complaints without swearing probably deserves one too.
So yes, we made it. Five individuals from five different starting points. One mission. Zero broken suitcases.
Resilience? Absolutely.
Coordination? Eventually.
Ready for voting day? Definitely… after dinner and a sleep !
