Health Innovation Manchester and NHS Greater Manchester win Digital Team of the Year at HSJ Digital Awards
Greater Manchester’s leadership in digital transformation has been recognised nationally, with partners across the system achieving major success at the HSJ Digital Awards 2026.
Health Innovation Manchester and NHS Greater Manchester were named Digital Team of the Year for the GM Care Record, a truly collaborative programme connecting health and care information for around 3 million people.
l-r: Zoe Lyons, Comedian/Host; Mark Carrington, Account Manager at Graphnet, Catherine Ferguson, Comms Lead – Digital; Cara Afzal, Programme Director, Digital and Data; Dr Saif Ahmed, Clinical Lead for Digital Transformation/CMIO Tameside & Glossop; Dr Gareth Thomas, Clinical Director, Digital and Data Products; Dr James Ray, Oxford University Hospitals Emergency Medicine Consultant
Over 500,000 patient records were accessed within the GM Care Record by more than 30,000 users in March 2026 alone.
This highlights the growing role of the GM Care Record, linking multiple sources of information to support frontline care every day.
This award submission ‘Small Team, Big Impact: The GM Care Record Team’s Collaborative Approach to System-Wide Change’ reflected the collective effort of teams across NHS Greater Manchester, Health Innovation Manchester, the GMCR Product and IT teams, Graphnet, the University of Manchester, primary care, and partners in all 10 localities, alongside the patients and communities who have helped shape the programme from the start.
By bringing patient information together into a single, shared view, the GM Care Record is helping clinicians access critical information quickly and safely, reducing duplication and supporting more coordinated care. It also underpins key neighbourhood care models, including end-of-life care planning and community pharmacy access.
Dr Gareth Thomas, Clinical Director for Digital and Data Products, said:
“As a team working across Greater Manchester, we’re incredibly proud of this recognition, which belongs to everyone across the system who has embraced the GM Care Record. From frontline staff to our digital teams and patient groups, it’s their commitment that is making a real difference to care every day.”
Cara Afzal, Programme Director for Digital and Data, added:
“What makes this programme special is how it has been shaped by the people who use it – clinicians, patients and communities. Co-production has been at the heart of everything we’ve done, and that’s what is driving its success.”
The HSJ Digital Awards also celebrated wider success across Greater Manchester, with organisations such as the Greater Manchester Care Alliance and Manchester University FT recognised for innovation in workforce productivity, digital skills, interoperability, mental health and reducing inequalities.
Together, these achievements demonstrate the strength of Greater Manchester’s combined approach and continued focus on using digital to improve outcomes, support staff and deliver better care closer to home.
While the award is a moment to celebrate, the focus remains on continuing to build awareness, increase adoption, deliver new models of patient-centred care, and improve the GM Care Record, ensuring it delivers even greater impact for patients and professionals across the region.
Access to the GM Care Record is helping health and care teams across Greater Manchester provide more informed, joined up care.
