The report concerning weakness' at Barnet Hospital (Hospital is weak'', October 12) is misleading and does not reflect the actual performance of that hospital.

Unfortunately, I have been in three hospitals this year, including the private wing of an NHS hospital for four weeks where I underwent three operations. The cleaning was undertaken once a day, mostly in a cursory manner. To get attention, one frequently had to wait 20 minutes or more.

A few weeks later, I had to be taken by ambulance to Barnet Hospital as an emergency case, later being transferred to the cardiac ward. I was there for four weeks.

Cleaning was carried out thoroughly three times a day; as soon as any incident occurred, attention was almost immediate. The nurses and doctors were nearly all friendly and helpful. I would not be alive now had I not been treated in the A&E. My only criticism of Barnet is that the food served was often not edible and easily could have been improved with a little interest and training.

I was then transferred to a major private hospital to have a valve in my heart replaced. Neither the level of cleaning, nor the standard of service and nursing matched the excellence of Barnet.

It is a shame and unfair that Barnet is not given a true assessment. I know several families who use Barnet as a matter of choice as it is the best NHS hospital in the area.

Edward Gilbert, Whetstone