Sam Volpe

An inquest found that delays by the North East Ambulance Service contributed to the 2019 death of 32-year-old Andrew Edward Watson, who waited 67 minutes for paramedics after calling 999 while suffering from quinsy and choking symptoms. Senior assistant coroner Crispin Oliver said emergency treatment was not delivered in time and questioned why Watson’s self-reported symptoms received a lower-priority response than choking caused by a foreign object. The inquest also examined alleged historical failings in the ambulance service’s safety investigations and governance, which led Watson’s family to fight for the case to be reopened. The family welcomed the findings and the service’s apology, while NEAS said it had invested in additional ambulances and paramedics and improved its investigation processes.