Ambulance delays have been found to be a contributing factor in the tragic death of Andrew Watson, who lost his life in October 2019 after suffering from a severe medical condition that required immediate emergency treatment. As he made three desperate 999 calls while struggling to breathe, an inquest has concluded that he might have survived if paramedics had reached him 10-20 minutes sooner for critical airway surgery.
Andrew, 32, was living in a supported complex in Langley Moor, County Durham, when the incident occurred. Despite being told an ambulance would arrive within 18 minutes, it took a staggering 67 minutes to reach him - by which time his life had sadly been lost. The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has since issued a heartfelt apology, acknowledging that their response was not swift enough and that this delay likely contributed to Andrew's death.
At the inquest, which followed a five-day hearing, experts presented evidence suggesting that if Andrew had received medical attention within the critical timeframe, his outcome might have been different. The scrutiny also highlighted concerns about how NEAS managed his 999 calls and prioritised his emergency - with one paramedic involved in the case testifying that his death was preventable and expressing feelings of being ignored when advocating for a higher level of harm classification.
A key issue raised during the inquest was the categorisation of emergency calls, which can have life-or-death consequences. Andrew's call was initially classified as a category two emergency due to his medical condition, rather than a foreign object, despite choking incidents being typically treated with greater urgency. Coroner Crispin Oliver described this distinction as 'baffling', highlighting an area for improvement in the system.
In response to the findings, NHS England will be issued a Regulation 28 report aimed at preventing future deaths related to variations in how choking incidents are categorised across ambulance services nationwide. Andrew's mother, Liz Watson, welcomed the conclusion of the inquest and thanked those involved for their commitment to uncovering the truth behind her son's tragic death.
NEAS Deputy Chief Executive Karen O'Brien reaffirmed the service's dedication to reducing delays and improving response times, citing significant investment in additional paramedics and ambulances since 2019. This is a crucial step towards addressing these avoidable delays and ensuring that emergency services are better equipped to respond swiftly to those who need help most.