‘Meet Team OneLondon’ showcases the work of some of the amazing people helping us to join up information to improve health and care across London and beyond. Here we meet Petar Manolov who is the London Care Record programme manager at North Central London Integrated Care System.

14 December 2022

What is your role in North Central London Integrated Care System and how did you get into it?

I’m the London Care Record Programme Manager for North Central London ICS.

I’ve been part of the NCL team for the past two years and it’s been an amazing ride. My interests and education brought me here. Before I joined the NCL team I was with one of the big pharma companies as Senior Medical Information Specialist and I was also involved in the initial stages of Covid-19 vaccine research. My educational background is a master’s degree in public health and healthcare management.

In the new year I will moving on from my London Care Record role to lead NCL’s Digital Diagnostics Programme – another really great opportunity to support our clinicians and improve patient care. 

I am grateful that the work we do in NCL is changing people’s lives.

What does your work involve on a day to day basis?

I am lucky that it is very varied work and no two days are the same. This includes working with clinicians to make sure the information available in the London Care Record is as useful as possible and working with GP surgeries, Trusts and other providers to make sure technical systems are operating effectively to join up all the information. I also work closely with my NCL ICS colleagues and the OneLondon Team to agree next steps in extending and enhancing the London Care Record in line with our shared priorities.

How does your work improve health and care in North Central London and beyond?

The London Care Record is a single and secure view of health and care information and not having access to this would cause delays and duplication. Being able to see the London Care Record means clinicians have the information they need and saves them time  freeing them up to spend more time with patients. It also supports our efforts to analyse complex data to improve the health of our communities.

What do the clinicians in North Central London say about the London Care Record?

Recently I was really pleased to get an email from a consultant haematologist in NCL. I think this says it all:

“I just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work that all you have put into the HIE. I must have accessed the HIE in nearly all the new patients that I saw in my clinic today and in almost circumstances I was able to make faster and better decisions. It is the reality of practising medicine in London where a patient is seen at UCLH, RFH, Homerton, Barts and their GP of course… sometimes across the same disease pathway!!

“I don’t think the work that you guys do are acknowledged enough as people largely take it for granted and only complain when things do not work!”

What is your proudest moment in relation to your work with OneLondon?

I think it is the fact that we are able to expand the great work we’ve accomplished locally in NCL by linking up with colleagues from other ICSs that have the same passion. Together we are giving our clinicians something that is improving their day to day work with patients, helping them to make better and more accurate decisions. At the end of the day being able to expand all of that across London is a very satisfying and strong feeling.

What advice do you have for anyone considering a career in digital transformation in the NHS?

I would encourage everyone to try it! There is always going to be a learning curve at the start but this is an excellent opportunity to be challenged and also to be able to deliver real value in terms of improvements to patient care. Value that could save lives.