I am writing in answer to an article in the Muswell Hill & Crouch End Times (NHS hospital could treat private patients', July 29). Despite the Royal Free Hospital having received a low rating, and its cancer figures being deemed invalid due to a mistake in submission, I would like to give some praise to the hospital.

My wife has been a patient at the Royal Free for some years now. She has multiple myeloma, which is bone marrow cancer.

She has come through all of her major treatment with flying colours, but none of this would have been at all possible without the magnificent staff, and the time and care given to her and other cancer patients.

The hospital trust's new chief executive, Andrew Way, ought to reconsider the idea of closing down wards and cutting out agency staff.

Agency staff are more expensive than employing full-time nurses, so why doesn't the NHS endeavour to make nursing more appealing and address the general shortage of nurses.

John Adkins
Princes Avenue, Muswell Hill