Reports of drug dealing in Belfast emergency departments have increased in the past year

Criminals who use the waiting room of a busy hospital emergency room to deal drugs are branded “disgusting.”

At Northern Ireland's largest hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in Belfast, there were 22 reports of drug trafficking in 2024.

A woman told BBC News NI she was in a hospital waiting room with her mother when she witnessed other people sharing medication with a patient who had been admitted to hospital earlier that evening.

The Belfast Trust described the increase in drug use and trafficking at its properties as a worrying trend.

BBC News NI has seen used needles found in the disabled toilets/changing bins in the emergency department toilets.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) show an increase in antisocial behaviour, including drug use and trafficking.

From January to August 2024, there were 22 reports of drug trafficking in and around the hospital, compared to five reports in the same period last year.

The figures also showed that there were 19 arrests for at least one drug offense, such as possession or trafficking, in the first half of 2024.

However, the comments on the FOI request state that due to the nature of the information gathering, there may be other incidents that do not fall within the data search methodology.

The woman, who was there with her mother, said: “They were sitting on the chairs in the waiting area, dividing up the tablets among themselves and thinking about which tablets they should order and have delivered to the hospital.”

“They called the person who gave them the medication and had it delivered to the hospital.

“Sitting in the emergency room, surrounded by sick, defenseless people, while all this is happening in front of your eyes is just ridiculous.

“Even the staff have to deal with it on a daily basis, not to mention the sick patients who come to the hospital.

“Sitting there with my sick mother and witnessing this was disgusting.”

It was a busy Friday night when I went to the emergency room. No cameras, no microphones, I just wanted to take a look.

In this little snapshot of about 90 minutes, you sit in a busy waiting room full of patients waiting for their names to be called, sitting in wheelchairs, in pain, dozing off.

I overheard telephone conversations in which citizens called and ordered medicines.

The people in the room asked their friends if they had any drugs they could have.

Although I did not see anyone taking or carrying drugs, I did see drug paraphernalia and a needle between towels in the disabled toilet, which is used as a baby changing room.

Social Democrat and Labour councillor Paul Doherty said anti-social behaviour had always been a problem on the RVH site but it had “never been this bad”.

“This is the last thing people need. They come either seriously ill or have sick relatives or family members and plunge straight into this very dangerous activity here on these royal grounds,” he told BBC News NI.

“I’ve heard from people who have challenged this.

“They bring elderly and vulnerable and sick family members and they interfere in places where people are either using or dealing drugs and they question them, saying: 'Are you aware of where you are and that people here are going through a very difficult time?'

“It's about awareness; it's about reporting, and I know many of the royal staff here are reporting on an ongoing basis.”

In May, the Belfast Health Trust told the BBC that it was working closely with police and local community leaders to address the problem.

In a statement, the Belfast Trust expressed concern about an increase in antisocial behaviour, including drug use and dealing, on the Royal Hospitals premises.

“We are working closely with colleagues in the PSNI and local community representatives to address this worrying trend,” a spokesman said.

“We would like to ask everyone to please treat your hospitals and community facilities with respect so that they remain safe places for your family and friends.”

Ch Insp Claire Hamilton said: “[The PSNI] will continue to deploy high-visibility, targeted patrols… has deployed police dogs specifically trained to detect drugs, disrupt and apprehend those involved in the sale and distribution of drugs and bring them to justice.”

She added that tackling drugs and substance misuse was a “police priority” and that police would continue to “work with communities and partner agencies to reduce the threat of harmful and illegal activities”.

“We ask for everyone’s support and cooperation in combating this problem within the criminal justice system,” she said.