IT seems to be the fashion to knock the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and I therefore take pleasure in going against fashion by heaping praise upon it and the caring staff.

My father, 85, was admitted to the hospital on January 31 after vomiting didn't clear up.

One month and two days later he lost the battle against bacterial meningitis, as it turned out to be, and died, but during that time he had the utmost care shown to him from every aspect of the hospital, as I did during the many and long hours of visiting him.

I could not fault anything at all and could not have wished for better.

May I offer my thanks to all on the acute admissions unit, Saturn and Mercury Wards and the life-saving canteen where I ate every night.

JULIA PEEL

River Park

Marlborough