Eight hundred reports of abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults in Southampton were made in the past year – up 23 per cent.

One GP was suspended and two care homes closed after investigations of ill-treatment.

The homes were St Basil’s in Shirley and The Briars in Bitterne Park.

Elderly residents at The Briars were found malnourished and dehydrated, left in urine-soaked beds and suffered bed sores. Home owner Annette Hopkins, 61, was convicted of nine counts of wilful neglect last August.

In total, the police investigated 16 cases of adult abuse between March 2009 and April 2010 and two are with the Crown Prosecution Service.

As reported in the Daily Echo last week, Hampshire County Council dealt with a further 1,437 reports of adult abuse, up 79 per cent on 2008-9.

Elderly people, those with learning or physical disabilities and people with mental health problems can be classified as vulnerable adults.

A city council safeguarding report says the “stark increase” is linked to greater public awareness, training staff to report concerns and more involvement of other agencies such as the police.

Figures in the annual report to Southampton Safeguarding Adults Board show social services investigated 73 local care services after reports of abuse.

They included 33 residential homes, seven nursing homes, one community hospital, one acute hospital and four home care providers.

Neglect and physical abuse were the most common reported forms of abuse followed by stealing, sexual abuse and bullying.

The report said 17 NHS “root cause analysis” investigations had been commissioned. This is where the aim is to learn from patient safety incidents, complaints and concerns.

Nine involved Southampton University Hospitals Trust after concerns were raised about “unsafe discharge” of patients and pressure sores.

In addition, four GPs were investigated for neglect and medical errors, one district nurse for neglect and one community hospital for “institutional abuse.”

There were also two probes of community cases involving Hampshire Partnership Foundation Trust, the mental health trust.

Chris Perry, chief executive of Age Concern Hampshire, said: “I think the fact that we are identifying more cases enables the authorities to intervene in more situations.”

He added: “It may be that prosecution is required, especially in cases of financial abuse or systematic abuse in care homes and, in some cases, by relatives.

“But at other times it can be sheer exasperation of the carer trying to cope with a loved one for example with Alzheimer’s. Then counselling and support like respite care may be more appropriate.”