Sir – I was sorry to read Elizabeth Seager’s letter (February 16) about the standard of hospital food. I was in the John Radcliffe and the Churchill roughly a decade ago and patients regularly asked each other whether their visitors had brought in the next meal. By and large I recall the criticism of hospital food then as fair.

More recently I was in the JR after an accident and I can only report that I judged the food consistently excellent, good quality, well presented and well cooked.

I think Carillion, the outside caterers, have done an excellent job and I was expecting the older poor quality. But at least Elizabeth Seager and I can agree on the excellence of the medical staff.

Gervase Duffield, District councillor, Appleford