A GRANDMOTHER has praised the "brilliant" care she received from a beleaguered hospital.

Ann Skeggs, of Hertford Road, Ponders end, spent 13 days at North Middlesex Hospital in Edmonton after being diagnosed with low oxygen levels in her blood in September.

The hospital's accident and emergency department was rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and it could face further sanctions if improvements are not made.

But the 76-year-old said she went to hospital unable to breathe properly, but has come out feeling "better than ever".

She said: "I went to the doctor and was told I would have to go to the hospital. We were seen immediately, I had heart and lung scans.

"All the junior doctors and consultants treated me with courtesy, they had a lovely manner. I had tests every day, something was always going on.

"I felt anxious when they did my heart scan and I was not expecting a fortnight in hospital, but I never felt seriously ill. The way they treated me made sure of that.."

She says she now has more energy than her husband of 56 years Roy, 79.

Ms Skeggs, a keen gardener who enjoys jigsaw puzzles, said her treatment also made them support the junior doctors, who she described as “brilliant”.

She said: “People might complain about being treated by junior staff, but they will make superb consultants someday.”

Mr Skeggs said it was hard to rate the hospital out of ten but would give it "at least nine".

The grandparents-of-five now plan to donate old books to the ward.

He added said: "It was a tiring, shattering two weeks but the nurses were like a beacon of light.

"I know North Middlesex Hospital has its moments, but it was brilliant right from the very first person we saw.

"They are grossly understaffed, that was obviously, but every person we saw made us feel safe."

North Middlesex University Hospital’s director of nursing, Deborah Wheeler, said: “We’re delighted that Mrs Skeggs' treatment went well and that she felt well looked after. It’s always great to get a thank you from patients – our staff work really hard and they really appreciate it.”