Shambles gets time for communication (7)
I believe the answer is:
message
'for communication' is the definition.
(message is a kind of communication)
'shambles gets time' is the wordplay.
'shambles' becomes 'mess' (I've seen this before).
'gets' says to put letters next to each other.
'time' becomes 'age' (an age is a period of time).
'mess'+'age'='MESSAGE'
(Other definitions for message that I've seen before include "Tidings" , "Communication that is sent" , "Missive" , "bulletin" , "The medium is the - (McLuhan)" .)