Professor awarded an MBE for ‘crucial’ research on older people

Professor Adam Gordon, President of the British Geriatrics Society (BGS), has recently been awarded an MBE in His Majesty King Charles III’s Birthday Honours List.

The Consultant Geriatrician at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust is recognised for his work as a skilled clinician, influential academic and widely published researcher, with his studies focusing primarily on how healthcare is delivered in care homes.

His published work in this field has informed national policy and shaped changes to service delivery to improve the quality of life, healthcare and service planning for older people living in care homes.

Professor Gordon, who is also the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands Theme Lead for the Building Community Resilience and Enabling Independence Theme, said: “Older people living with frailty often get a raw deal within the health and social care system.

“I feel privileged that my work helps shine a light on the inequity this causes on a local, regional and national level. Hopefully, I have improved the situation somewhat, but obviously, there is so much work that still needs to be done.”

He added: “I have collaborated with so many hugely inspirational colleagues working in care homes, community and primary care and hospitals.

“They all work incredibly hard in roles which are often perceived as unglamorous to ensure that older people receive the quality care they both need and deserve.”

“I accept this honour on behalf of my colleagues in the care of older people, and their many older patients, across the country.”

In 2020, Professor Gordon was the lead author of the BGS guidance on managing COVID-19 in care homes and he was appointed to the government’s SAGE Committee sub-group on Care Homes.

In his academic role as Professor of the Care of Older People at the University of Nottingham, Professor Gordon has played a key role in developing undergraduate and postgraduate curricula in geriatric medicine.

He is also a visiting professor at City University in London, a National Institute of Health Research Senior Investigator and a faculty member of the European Academy of Medicine of Ageing.

The ARC East Midlands Building Community Resilience and Enabling Independence Theme undertakes research to support independent living, improved care for stroke survivors and coordinated multi-service care, particularly for older people.

As BGS President since November 2022, his advocacy has helped to raise the importance of older people’s healthcare being a policy priority across the UK.

People aged 65 and over account for over 40 per cent of hospital admissions and are the most frequent users of health and social care services.

Frailty, a condition that can be slowed or reversed with the right interventions, costs UK healthcare systems £5.8 billion per year.

Investment in healthcare services for older people is now consistently providing high economic returns by improving health outcomes and reducing demand on the acute and social care sectors.

NIHR ARC East Midlands funds vital work to tackle the region’s health and care priorities by speeding up the adoption of research onto the frontline of health and social care. The organisation puts in place evidence-based innovations which seek to drive up standards of care and save time and money.

NIHR ARC East Midlands is hosted by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and works in collaboration with the Health Innovation East Midlands. It has bases at the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham.