The Dhole-Eddlestone Memorial Prize is funded by a legacy from Dr Manindra Kumar Dhole, a BGS member who died in 1977. The name commemorates the anniversary of his marriage to Dr Elizabeth Eddlestone. This prize is given annually to the most deserving medical research relating to the needs of older people, published over the last year in Age and Ageing, our international clinical geriatrics journal. Papers are nominated by the Age and Ageing Editorial Board and judged by a panel consisting of Professors Roy Soiza, Nathalie van der Velde, Terry Quinn and Jugdeep Dhesi.
The winning paper, ‘Improving the safety and experience of transitions from hospital to home: a cluster randomised controlled trial of an intervention to involve older people in their care (Your Care Needs You)’, was published in Age and Ageing in May 2025. It emphasises the importance of involving older people in their own care and the decisions taken about their care. The trial showed that after 3 months, there was a significant impact on avoiding unplanned hospital readmissions when patients were actively involved in decisions about their care.
This study marks the first time theory-based knowledge about patient involvement has been used in developing and testing interventions for hospital to home transitions for older people. This research used a cluster randomised controlled trial, where some groups used the Your Care Needs You (YCNY) evidence-based intervention, which facilitates patient involvement, and some groups did not.
The BGS has always argued and continues to argue for increased control and ownership of care by older people, and is delighted to award the Dhole-Eddlestone Memorial Prize 2026 to this important piece of work.
Corresponding Author Dr Jenni Murray and Chief Investigator Professor Rebecca Lawton said:
We are thrilled to have been awarded the Dhole-Eddlestone Memorial Prize. This publication represents six years of robust research by a team of dedicated researchers and healthcare professionals who have moved the science of care transitions for older people forward. We are extremely grateful to the healthcare staff who enthusiastically supported us with the trial during very challenging times and to the editorial staff at Age and Ageing for accepting our paper for publication. We are keen that the Your Care Needs You intervention, which was tested in the trial and is low-cost and evidence-based, is adopted by the NHS going forward. The award will support further exploration of safety outcomes in our study data.”
Professor Roy Soiza, Editor-in-Chief, Age and Ageing, said:
Returning home after a hospital stay can feel overwhelming for older people and their families. For healthcare teams, ensuring safe and timely discharge is one of the most complex challenges, often with limited evidence to guide best practice. This outstanding trial evaluated an intervention designed to make the transition smoother by actively involving patients and staff in planning four essential areas: managing health and wellbeing, medications, daily activities, and escalating care needs. The editorial team commended the study for its broad relevance, practical applicability, and rigorous methodology and reporting.
Nathalie van der Velde, Deputy Editor, Age and Ageing, Academic Director of the EuGMS, said:
From an international perspective, this paper is particularly valuable because it offers an approach that is both methodologically robust and operationally feasible in different organisational structures. It provides a framework that European services can adapt within their own constraints while still advancing continuity, safety, and person-centredness during the discharge pathway. It is precisely the type of work that supports system-level improvement across an ageing Europe.”
Professor Terry Quinn, NIHR RDN Ageing Lead, said:
The healthcare issues that older adults face are complex, and so the research needed to find solutions often demands similarly complex methods.
This paper used a complex study design that was scientifically rigorous, while still offering an immediate and accessible message to the non-expert reader. I am pleased it was chosen for this prize, and I look forward to seeing more papers like this.”
Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, BGS President, said:
As BGS President, it’s been a great privilege to sit on the panel assessing papers for the Dhole-Eddlestone Memorial Prize 2026, and I’m delighted that we are giving this award to such a worthy recipient. The transition from hospital back to home can be a risky one for older people, and by publishing high-quality clinical trials such as this, the BGS is using evidence to drive positive changes in practice and deliver improved healthcare for older people.”
