Umpire might make a blunder allowing first couple to get a doctor's note, perhaps (8)
I believe the answer is:
referral
'note perhaps' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to communication as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'umpire might make a blunder allowing first couple to get a doctor's' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'umpire' could be 'ref' (short for referee) and 'ref' is found within the answer.
'a' is within the answer.
'blunder' could be 'err' (to err is to make a mistake or blunder) and 'err' is found in the answer.
A single letter 'l' remains which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for referral that I've seen before include "Action of passing a patient on for consultation" , "Direction to specialist" , "Handover to specialist" , "Act of consulting with or handing over to another" , "Sending, ie of patient to specialist" .)