COUNCILLORS will quiz health bosses tomorrow on how nearly 2,000 referrals for patients in Enfield were delayed.

A serious incident investigation was launched after 1,974 non-urgent patient referrals were not passed on by NHS Enfield.

Nigel Beverley, chief executive of NHS Enfield, blamed the delays which were uncovered at the end of April on “resourcing issues of clerical staff and recent service changes” and took personal charge of dealing with the crisis.

Temporary staff and clinicians were drafted in to deal with the backlog of referrals, largely to Chase Farm and North Middlesex hospitals, and all affected patients received an apology via phone or letter.

Mr Beverley, writing to the Enfield Council health scrutiny panel, said he was informing them “with regret” and added: “This is not a situation that I would expect an organisation such as NHS North Central London to find itself in and I want to reassure you that I am giving this matter my full personal attention.”

Councillors on the scrutiny panel will tomorrow evening question Mr Beverley on the current situation and any findings of the internal investigation.

It is believed the probe into the Enfield Specialist Clinical Assessment Service has not yet concluded.