Gaston calls on Health Minister to ‘get a grip’ as ambulance delays exposed

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has raised profound concerns about the state of Northern Ireland’s health service, using a tragic local case to highlight what he described as systemic failures in ambulance response policy.

Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, January 20, Mr Gaston said the Department of Health had become “by far the most frustrating Department” he had dealt with during his first 19 months as an MLA, accusing it of ignoring Assembly contributions, delaying written answers, and operating in what he described as a state of chaos.

“When I come to the Chamber and raise specific issues, it is often because members of the public have asked me to raise those issues on their behalf,” he told MLAs.

“The Health Department has been by far the most frustrating Department for me during my 19 months in office.”

Mr Gaston said he had repeatedly been forced to explain to constituents that, despite raising issues in the Chamber, they had been ignored by the Health Minister.

“It is disappointing that, on many occasions, I have had to send constituents recordings of what has taken place in the Chamber or extracts from Hansard and tell them that I raised the issue but the Minister, in his summing-up, simply ignored the points that I had made,” he said.

He also highlighted delays in written Assembly questions, stating that some had been sitting unanswered for nine months, despite the requirement for responses within 10 days. A recent Freedom of Information request, he said, revealed that the Department could not even confirm when draft answers had reached the Minister.

“I was told in a response that I received just last week that the Department is in such a state of chaos that it cannot even tell me when the Minister received those draft answers,” Mr Gaston said.

“It is not political theatre, Mr Chambers; it is the reality that MLAs face in this place. It is no surprise that patients face the same chaos when they try to get medical care.”

Tragic Ballymena case

Turning to the human impact of ambulance delays, Mr Gaston said he wanted to give a voice to families who had waited anxiously after calling 999.

“Often, when the ambulance comes, it can be too late,” he said.

He told the Assembly of the Darragh family from the Ballymena area, describing the death of Willy Darragh in December 2024 after experiencing chest pains at home.

“His wife rang 999 only to be advised that the quickest way that she could get her husband to A&E was to take him in the car,” Mr Gaston said.

“Sadly, Mr Darragh never made it to hospital: he took a heart attack in a lay-by on his way there.”

Mr Gaston said the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service later confirmed that an ambulance had been sitting in the Ballymena depot at the time but could not be assigned because the crew was in the last hour of their shift.

“As Willy Darragh was classed as a category 2 case, that crew could not be assigned, because of action short of strike,” he said.

“Let that sink in.”

‘A failing that should have been put right’

The North Antrim MLA said he had since asked whether ambulance crews were at least being made aware when a category 2 call was logged in the final hour of their shift, but claimed the response failed to address the operational issue.

“Instead of addressing the issue, the response was a vague, waffly answer about winter plans, flu trends and hospital discharge pressures,” he said.

“It did not say a word about ambulance call-handling procedures, notification protocols, industrial action constraints or whether any system change had been made.”

“Nine months on, it appears that no progress has been made and that no lessons have been learnt.”

During the debate, Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister intervened to express her own concern, saying:

“I am glad that the Member has raised that issue. The situation is shocking. Everyone has a right to strike, but, in our engagements, I was given assurances that, if they were told of a category 2 call, staff would react. I am therefore very disappointed.”

Mr Gaston responded by arguing that crews would attend such calls if informed, but were not being told.

“If staff are told a category 2 call has come in — for example, a man with chest pains who has a history of heart problems — I have no doubt that the crew will go out, but the problem is that the crew is not being told that such a call has come in,” he said.

“That is a failing, and it is something that should have been put right nine months ago. I believe that it still has not been put right today.”

Call for ministerial action

Mr Gaston urged the Health Minister to give a clear and direct answer on whether changes had been made to ensure crews were informed of unanswered emergency calls.

“What measures are now in place to ensure that ambulance crews are informed when emergency calls are logged but not responded to?” he asked.

“A policy of not advising crews that a category 2 call has come in has been fatal in the past and, if the situation is not addressed — will prove fatal again.”

He also referenced comments made last week by Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds, who told the Assembly she had been informed that the Ambulance Service was close to declaring a critical state, with 160 emergency and critical calls waiting unanswered.

“Minister, it is time for you to get a grip on the issue,” Mr Gaston said.

“It is time for you to sort it out once and for all. Our constituents deserve better than they are getting.”

He concluded by stressing that frontline staff were not to blame.

“It is not the fault of the Ambulance Service. It is not the fault of the crews,” he said.

“There is something wrong with the policy, and that needs to be addressed today.”