THE number of hospital admissions involving elderly people in Southampton has jumped by nearly 17,000 in just five years.

New NHS figures have shown that patients aged over 65 years old have been admitted to hospitals within University Hospital Southampton’s trust nearly 75,000 times in 12 months ­- nearly a 30 per cent increase.

A charity fighting for older people’s rights think that in many cases, these admissions could be avoided with more funding and better services.

The statistics, released by the NHS, show that between April 2017 and March 2018, elderly patients were admitted 74,925 times to hospitals within the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

The figures refer to the number of episodes of care for patients, rather than the number of patients, but include both scheduled admissions, and emergency calls.

Five years previously, the figure stood at 58,171 admissions. That represents a 29 per cent rise.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said it was poor care planning and a lack of social care that was leaving elderly people relying on hospitals.

She said: “It is important that older people receive the treatment and care they need when they need it. However, we know that in some cases being admitted to hospital is the consequence of failing to deliver the right care at the right time and could have been avoided.”

Nigel Edwards, chief executive at think tank Nuffield Trust, said: “We cannot link the population ageing to the increase of admissions. Ageing helps to make people more prone to have several diseases, but it is just one of the components.”

A University Hospital Southampton spokesman told the Daily Echo that the figures highlighted the issue of social care in the community.