We are delighted to announce that Professor Adam Gordon, President of the British Geriatrics Society, has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in King Charles III’s Birthday Honours List, for his services to Older People's Healthcare.
Adam is internationally renowned as a leading expert in the field of geriatric medicine and is recognised for his work as a skilled clinician, influential academic and widely published researcher. 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% 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.
In his role as a Consultant Geriatrician, Adam cares for older patients in the acute sector. His clinical work focuses on improving outcomes for older people following emergency admission to hospital. He also has an interest in how older people with frailty are supported through surgery and has helped to establish surgical liaison services in several NHS Trusts.
Adam's research is focused 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. In 2020, Adam 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 Adam 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.
Professor Adam Gordon commented:
Older people living with frailty often get a raw deal within the health and social care system. I feel privileged that my work helped shine a light on the inequity this causes on a local, regional and national level. Hopefully, I improved the situation somewhat, though obviously there is much work that still needs to be done. 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 also would like to mention the staff team at the British Geriatrics Society who also work tirelessly helping us to improve care for older people. They care passionately about our mission, our members and building a sustainable NHS fit for future generations. I accept this honour on behalf of my colleagues in the care of older people, and their many older patients, across the country.”
