SIR – I would like to offer my congratulations to Professor Chris Raine (pictured) and his team for being recognised as NHS Heroes – an award which is highly deserved.

Professor Raine operated and treated me for a number of years and, despite his extremely high position within the NHS, I found him to be down-to-earth, extremely pleasant and more than willing to go the extra mile on your behalf.

He is also, to my knowledge, a world leader in cochlear implant technology, who must have brought delight to many previously extremely deaf people by allowing them to hear again.

I am unsure as to whether or not Chris has received any recognition, apart from him being a professor, for his outstanding services to people with hearing problems, but I believe, and I expect all his patients will agree, that he would be a truly worthy recipient of an OBE, MBE or even a knighthood.

Eric Mills, Wrose Mount, Wrose