'HORRIFIC' hospital mortality figures have laid bare the health inequalities faced by thousands of people in Oxfordshire from cradle to grave.

From January to December 2016, people from the most deprived 20 per cent of wards were 6.6 times more likely to die in hospital than those from wealthier areas.

Statistics from NHS Digital reveal that of 3,234 people to die under the care of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 1,317 - or 40 per cent - were from the poorest wards.

It comes as commissioners and councillors called for a 'major shift' across the board to address the yawning gap between rich and poor.

Rosalind Pearce, chief executive of Healthwatch Oxfordshire, said: "It is clear that there are massive inequalities in parts of the county, especially within areas of Oxford.

"We need to know more about the link between deprivation, life expectancy and access to health care services.”

Just 119 people from the most affluent 20 per cent of wards died in hospital, with the figure steadily increasing in direct proportion to patients' background.

At the same time those from deprived areas had 45,608 hospital stays - 38 per cent of the total - compared to 8,402 or 7 per cent from the least deprived.

Barton city councillor Mark Ladbrooke, the secretary for Oxfordshire's Keep Our NHS Public campaign, said the numbers were 'very worrying indeed'.

He said: "These are fairly horrific figures. Across NHS England a broadly equal proportion of rich people and poor people die in hospital .

"In Oxford there appears to be a strong relationship between deprivation and death in hospital."

Last year the county's Health Inequalities Commission highlighted 'unfair and unjust' differences in outcomes depending on where people lived.

Obesity, cardiovascular disease, respiratory issues and mental health problems all rise exponentially in poorer parts of Oxfordshire, as well as loneliness and isolation.

A man living in Blackbird Leys has a life expectancy of 75 years, compared to men in North Oxford, who are expected to live until 85.

Measures promoting healthy lifestyles have been launched in areas like the Leys, Rose Hill and Barton, including healthy eating workshops and exercise groups.

But Mr Ladbrooke said 'getting people to eat high-fibre cornflakes and go jogging' and 'telling people they are to blame' would not solve the problem.

Pointing instead to the physical environment and GP access, he said: "Some people are living in fuel poverty in damp, crowded homes having to work all hours.

"Times are restricted when you can book GP appointments. People are put off because it's so much hassle and you don't pick up problems early enough."

Marie Tidball, the council's board member for public health, said the Government should introduce a new legal standard to make all homes 'fit for human habitation'.

She said: "These figures shine a spotlight on the need to tackle the relationship between health inequalities, housing and living standards."

A report produced by the commission in October 2016 called for more resources to be ploughed into preventative strategies.

It also said Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group should target resources at GP surgeries and primary care to support better access.

OCCG chairman Joe McManners, who also sat on the commission, said the figures were 'shocking' but at the same time 'not surprising'.

He said: "It is true that the services for health and prevention are not always targeted at those in greatest need.

"This is not something that can be solved by small projects. It requires a major shift in how we deal with health in our society to tackle the causes of the disparity."

The hospitals trust declined to comment.