I concur with Tony Collins sentiments in his December 18 letter about the issues arising from treatment received previously from the Great Western Hospital .

My wife, recently out of hospital after a second stay of six weeks in the last year, along with another work colleague in the same floor over the same period, experienced first hand the problems of what appears to be no one in charge of the treatment or the standard of care provided by some nursing staff.

Also after reading the paper's supportive letter from the Mayor of Swindon about his wife's stay last year, I wrote to him detailing some of the issues that were evident both in April 2003 and still evident now. It's over a month and I've had no acknowledgement or reply.

What a shame, because if you put your head over the parapet as a leading figure in the community and express a view, you should expect to receive and reply to incoming responses, both good and bad and not apparently pick and chose.

In that regard in the same period, I've been contacted by the matrons from the wards my wife stayed in and they have appreciated the issues highlighted and promised a review.

Only time will tell if they have the power to make a difference, but at least they have made the effort to try!

John Allen

Wootton Bassett