I was saddened to read a letter in the Midweek Herald from a former patient who complained about our attitude and the attitude of NHS workers in other parts of the county.

I was saddened to read a letter in the Midweek Herald from a former patient who complained about our attitude - and the attitude of NHS workers in other parts of the county.I was saddened because I know our staff pride themselves on providing extremely high standards of care and were upset to think that we may have made such a negative impression. The vast majority of feedback we receive is positive, with many hundreds of patients, or their relatives, generously acknowledging our support.But we are realistic. We know that we don't always get everything right at the hospital and we understand how important it is to listen.We always treat complaints as we think they are meant - as opportunities for us to turn bad experiences into good outcomes for all. We acknowledge the important role the media can play in highlighting legitimate concerns, but we feel it's also important that people are aware that there is an established system in place so that we can respond directly to patients in a timely manner. Issues of concern should be raised as soon as they become apparent with the staff member themselves or, if this is not possible, their manager. To raise informal concerns or issues you can also speak with a member of our patient advice and liaison service on 0845 111 0080, or make an official complaint. Full details of how to do this are available at the hospital.Thank you for allowing me to make this clear. Doomun BeeharryModern matronHoniton Hospital