I would like to comment on the Oxford Mail article (front page, April 13) about the staff survey conducted by the Care Quality Commission for the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals in October 2010.

It is not accurate to report that nearly two thirds of consultants and more than half of nurses said they had seen potentially harmful errors or near-misses at work.

Only approximately 400 of our staff responded to the questionnaire, 47 per cent of the 850 staff sample to whom it was sent. However, we have a total workforce of about 10,000 employees.

The survey response, therefore, only represents about four per cent of the total workforce.

Of the 400 responses to this particular question, 46 were doctors, of whom 30 indicated they had seen something potentially harmful (representing less than two per cent of all doctors employed), and 151 were nurses, of whom 86 indicated they had seen something potentially harmful (representing just over two per cent of all nurses).

As a trust committed to the delivery of high quality services to patients, we always encourage staff to be vigilant and alert to potential errors as this is an essential way in which we improve patient safety.

Surveys of staff help to identify areas that need further assessment but are not a direct picture of what is happening at a service level.

We take feedback such as this very seriously and use it to improve our performance and the way that our staff feel about working within the trust.

We have already taken action on the comments provided last October.

Our recent restructuring of clinical services gives doctors and nurses more direct authority over and responsibility for the services they run. We are already seeing the positive impact this new form of management has for staff engagement and satisfaction.

While it is true that there are areas where improvements need to be made, Oxfordshire does have excellent hospital services with a dedicated and skilled workforce. Surveys of patients and the public consistently show that patients rate us highly, and our aim is to deliver the best services possible in the best way possible. We will continue to address any weaknesses in our services and to work hard to improve all aspects of our care for patients and to support and appreciate our staff.

Sir Jonathan Michael, Chief Executive, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust