Professor George Smith heaps praise on the Oxford Mail for highlighting the plight of his 96-year-old mother whose hip operation was cancelled five times at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

As a result of the publicity, the hospital has accelerated plans to open a new theatre two days a week so that more operations can take place and delays are cut.

While we are happy to acknowledge our part in this success story, it has been very much a team effort.

Prof Smith deserves the public's gratitude for raising the issue in the first place. Had he not done so, patients would no doubt have continued to suffer like his mother.

Similarly, we should raise our glasses to the hospital managers for listening to the complaints and responding so swiftly.

Ironically, the problem had been created in the first place because expertise at the JR is such that patients are brought to it from other parts of the country.

The JR always planned to open a second theatre when staff became available. Now, as a result of the publicity, this has been brought forward, to everyone's benefit.