Four patients die each day from hunger in hospital "They represent avoidable deaths," she told the Daily Mail. These people needed our care when they were at their most vulnerable. Michelle Mitchell, charity director at Age UK, said: "There must be systematic monitoring of malnutrition in older patients. From the hospital ward to the hospital board, everyone needs to take responsibility and help stop this scandal. The figures, which cover both NHS and private run hospitals, showed the number of deaths linked to lack of food and water had risen since 2000. A decade ago, 862 deaths were recorded with dehydration or hunger listed as a cause or contributory factor. The most recent figures showed an increase on the previous year, when there were 1,292 such deaths. A Department of Health spokesman said: "Many patients who suffer or die from malnutrition and dehydration are admitted to hospital with these conditions and have underlying health conditions like cancer that make them more susceptible to these problems. However, every NHS patient has the right to expect that they are looked after properly in hospital. The spokesman said action had been taken to ensure nurses would have "more time to check that patients are comfortable, are helped to eat and drink, and are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve." It comes after David Cameron said he wanted nurses to complete hourly rounds of hospital wards to improve standards of care. Earlier this month, the Prime Minister said staff should regularly ensure patients were comfortable. "Patients should expect nurses to undertake regular nursing rounds - systematically and routinely checking that each of their patients is comfortable, properly fed and hydrated, and treated with the dignity and respect they deserve," he said. His comments followed damaging reports by the care watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, and admissions by the NHS that nursing lacked compassion. Last year, the CQC found only half of the 100 hospitals visited by its inspectors were ensuring patients had enough to eat and drink. Doctors at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, Worcs, resorted to prescribing water for patients to remind nurses to provide it. Elsewhere, some elderly or weak patients were given meals without any help to eat. Meanwhile, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is facing continued criticism over the Government's proposed health reforms as the NHS seeks to save £20 billion by 2015. A Health Select Committee report was expected to find the reforms put the savings target at risk.