Digital Health Networks 60 Second Profiles: Laura Barry

In our next Digital Health Networks 60 second profile, Laura Barry, who is product manager for GP2GP and Registration Service at NHS Digital, reveals why getting the basics right is key and how IT should not only be for the trailblazers.

Could you explain what your role entails?

As a product manager my role is primarily about facilitating a team to co-create with users while understanding the balance between the technology, design and needs of the business. Basically product managers help facilitate teams to shine.

The multidisciplinary GP2GP and Registrations team I am working with are doing just that. We work with data and research evidence to decrease the technical failures of the GP2GP and registration process and improve the quality of the structured GP record for the patient, reducing the burden on practice staff.

What parts if digital health interest you the most?

Getting the basics right for our patients and practice staff hold the most interest for me within digital health.

You can have all the fancy machine learning technology whizzing away in government offices somewhere but if we have not got a simple structured record that can move, or be accessed, easily around the system by those that need it through the various sections of health and social care without degrading, then the data you are putting into those fancy machines is relatively pointless.

What projects are you currently involved on?

The teams I currently work with are involved in ensuring the continuity of the GP structured record to enable the best possible clinical outcomes for patients and reduce burden on practice staff.

If you have one piece of advice for other NHS IT leaders, would it be?

Focus on getting the basics right and the rest will follow. Make it easy for those that find it most difficult to join the IT journey and by default you will help more people join that journey. IT should not only be for the trailblazers.

If you could have any other job, what would it be?

Empathetic financial controller of the world’s wealth, though my nephews might make me send them to space if I had access to all that cash so I might have to rethink that one!

What’s your favourite piece of technology at home and why?

The hob of my cooker, he is so versatile, we are great friends!

Who would you like to play you in a film?

Vivienne Leigh… that look in Gone with the Wind – you certainly wouldn’t cross her!

If you would like to take part in our quickfire Digital Health Networks profile series, email hannahc@digitalhealth.net.