Full Breakdown
Lee Gannon's Death Highlights Ambulance Triage Failures in Belfast
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Lee Gannon, 25, of the Beechmount area, began experiencing severe breathing difficulties shortly after midnight on February 15, 2022. His family placed an initial 999 call that night, followed by three additional calls reporting worsening symptoms such as hallucinations, reduced responsiveness, and eye-rolling movements. Ambulance operators failed to classify the first call as a Category 1 emergency and did not re-triage the case until 3:38 a.m., when it was finally upgraded. Paramedics arrived at 3:43 a.m., found Gannon not breathing, and he was pronounced dead at the Royal Victoria Hospital around 4:45 a.m.
Background & Context
Category 1 calls are reserved for immediately life-threatening conditions and require the fastest response. The coroner’s inquest revealed that mis-categorisation of the initial call and missed re-triage opportunities caused a substantial delay, depriving Gannon of timely assessment and treatment for pneumonia and sepsis. The coroner noted that similar delays in ambulance response and prolonged hospital handovers have been recurring issues across Northern Ireland, affecting the availability of ambulance resources for other community patients.
Official Statements & Responses
She accepted that the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) was present throughout the inquest, had acknowledged fault, and pledged to learn from the findings. A NIAS spokesperson expressed “deep sorrow” and offered an “unreserved apology,” stating the service would consider the coroner’s recommendations alongside existing changes.
Family Reaction (Criticism)
Lee’s sister Colleen Gannon described the loss as “unbearable” and emphasized that the family’s repeated calls were “wrongly triaged,” preventing a life-saving response. Their statements underscore the personal impact of systemic triage failures.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The evidence before me demonstrated the significant effect which prolonged hospital handover delays can have upon the availability of ambulance resources to respond to patient in the community,” — Marie Dougan
- “I stand here today with a heavy heart, I struggle to find the words to express the pain and devastation our family has endured,” — Ms Gannon
