The Care Quality Commission has informed North Middlesex University NHS Trust it must make significant improvements in the quality of the health care it provides in the emergency department (ED).
CQC has issued a Warning Notice requiring the trust to significantly improve the treatment of patients attending the ED.
CQC inspectors visited the trust as part of an unannounced inspection in April 2016. The inspectors found that the treatment model for patients was not effective.
Inspectors found there were delays in the initial assessment of patients, in their assessment by a doctor and in moving them to specialist wards and that there were insufficient middle grade doctors and consultants.
North Middlesex University Hospital Trust has been given until 26 August 2016 to make the improvements.
CQC's Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Edward Baker said: "People going to the emergency department at the North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust are entitled to an service that is safe, effective and responsive. When we inspected we found that patients were not receiving the quality of care that they should have been.
"We have strongly encouraged the trust to engage with other organisations across the local health and social care system to resolve this challenging issue. We will continue to monitor the trust closely, and will be returning for further inspections of the hospital to check that the service has improved."
CQC will publish a full report of its findings in due course.
Find out more
Read reports from our checks on the standards at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust