New figures published last week (25th February) by the Health and Social Care Information Centre have revealed NHS hospitals in England dealt with 15.5million admissions during 2013-14.
Equating to 42,400 patients every day, the figures showed an increase of 870 on last year’s average, with those aged between 65 and 69 more likely to be admitted to hospital.
Women were most likely to be admitted for treatment, the figures revealed, making up 56 per cent of all admissions. 5.4 million of all admissions were classed as emergencies, up from 5.3 million in the previous year.
Experts warned that the demand on the NHS is unprecedented, fuelled by an increasingly elderly population.
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “The rising numbers of older people being admitted to hospital is a wake- up call that social care is in crisis and that we’re not doing enough to keep older people well at home.
“Without good social care to sustain them in living independently, older people are more likely to end up in hospital. Falls are a serious threat to older people’s health, wellbeing and independence, causing pain, distress and loss of confidence. However, despite having serious consequences, falls in later life are often dismissed as an inevitable part of growing older, when the reality is that they are usually preventable. Properly funded social care would make a huge difference to people’s lives, helping to keep them well and ultimately saving money in the NHS.
“hospitals can work better for everyone if we do more to prevent the need for older people to be admitted in the first place, as well as making sure that when people do need inpatient care, they are supported to get home as quickly as possible.”