A nurse who was singled out by Boris Johnson for helping save his life should be given a medal according to another patient she treated.

David Cotton was in intensive care in Guy's and St Thomas' hospitals in 2017 after suffering a seizure brought on by a tumour in his chest.

He had nothing but praise for New Zealander Jenny McGee, whom the prime minister said stood by his bedside in St Thomas' hospital for 48 hours while he was being treated for COVID-19.

'A surreal time, something she'd never forget'

Mr Johnson said the NHS had "saved my life, no question" after he was moved to intensive care as his coronavirus symptoms worsened.

Mr Cotton, from Shoreham-by-Sea, said: "She saved my life without doubt.


Image: David Cotton, who was treated by Jenny McGee when he was in Guy's and St Thomas' hospitals

"She's a fabulous, vivacious, wonderful personality and tremendous sense of humour, but at the same time, 100% professional... thoroughly dedicated.

"There's all these noises and machines and ventilators and all kinds of electronic measuring equipment, alarms, people are running around. It's a very fearful atmosphere.

"And somebody like Jenny, she's kind of master of all she surveys, but at the same time, keeping calm and throwing in the odd joke and comment, keeping spirits up.

"And in that typically wonderful New Zealand way, was able to call a spade a spade and make everyone feel great.

Johnson praises NHS staff

"I would imagine she would have gone perfectly with Boris Johnson because she wouldn't have taken any truck from him.

"You feel you're in wonderfully safe hands with somebody like Jenny. I can't praise her enough. And I think the prime minister should give her some form of medal because of the work she does."

The prime minister spent seven nights at St Thomas' Hospital in central London, three of them in intensive care.

In a video recorded after his release on Sunday, he praised the hospital's workers, giving particular thanks to two nurses - Jenny from the New Zealand city of Invercargill and Luis from Portugal.

It later emerged he was talking about Ms McGee and Luis Pitarma, neither of whom have given interviews so far, but have been praised by their families and others who know them, as well as leaders from their home countries.

Ms McGee's father said she was blown away by all the attention.