We welcomed Nath Samaratunga to our team this summer as a Strategy and Transformation Intern during his MBA studies at the University of Cambridge. Nath is pursuing an MBA on scholarship during his gap year from medical school at Rutgers University in New Jersey. He also holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota. During his time with us, he primarily worked on strategic transformation initiatives aimed at improving population health outcomes. Nath’s understanding of the intersection between policy, business, and health was a great asset to our transformation projects. His work aligned closely with the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan, particularly its focus on integrated care, prevention, and using data to improve population health. Through projects that explored how services connect across urgent care, community health, and digital transformation, Nath contributed to Bromley Healthcare’s ongoing efforts to deliver more joined-up, person-centred care in line with national priorities for the next decade. Read on to learn more about his experience.
This summer, I had the privilege of joining Bromley Healthcare (BHC) as an MBA Strategy and Transformation Intern. As I reflect on the last few months, I feel immense gratitude not only for the professional lessons I’ve learned, but also for the people and culture that made this experience so meaningful.
A bit about me…
I come from a background in medicine and health policy in the United States. I began my career working on projects to improve financial access to healthcare and to better integrate medical and social care services. More recently, I’ve been training as a medic at Rutgers-RWJ Medical School while also pursuing an MBA at the University of Cambridge. My long-term goal is to integrate clinical practice with policy and strategy — ultimately translating patient experiences into structural innovation.
What I’ve learned during my time at Bromley Healthcare:
As someone passionate about health policy, I have long been intrigued by the NHS. When I learned about the NHS Summer MBA Internship Programme — one of the largest public-sector MBA internships in the world — I knew it was the perfect opportunity. Out of all the potential placements, Bromley Healthcare turned out to be an ideal fit. As a community-based social enterprise, BHC is rooted in the NHS but small and agile enough to innovate and respond quickly to local needs. That mix of national mission and community-based advocacy was exactly the intersection I hoped for.
One of the most eye-opening parts of my internship was comparing the UK and US healthcare systems. In my medical training in the US, I have seen first-hand insurance and payment structures can limit access to care. In the UK, I was inspired by the principle of universal care and how organisations like BHC are deeply embedded in the communities they serve. At the same time, I was surprised by the level of decentralisation within the NHS — each region, trust, and provider operates differently, which creates opportunities for personalised care but also challenges with fragmentation. I was also struck by the work culture. I saw here how work-life balance is respected and celebrated without compromising on quality, a refreshingly humane reality.
What I worked on at Bromley Healthcare:
My projects at BHC spanned strategy, data, and transformation. Two stand out: an Unscheduled Care Report, a deep dive into the urgent and emergency care crisis across the NHS with recommendations for BHC (spoiler: case management here is amazing and such an asset!), and a Data Mindmap, which mapped all of BHC’s data sources and highlighted opportunities for better integration across South East London.
Alongside these, I shadowed Rapid Response, Hospital at Home, and Community Matron services, supported our strategic HIINT group, and contributed to a funding proposal to build a clinical risk equity index tool. These projects reminded me that even the most technical challenges ultimately come down to people, relationships, and communication. The compassion I saw in BHC staff caring for vulnerable patients has stuck with me and helped me envision the kind of clinician I strive to become.
What I enjoyed the most about being part of Bromley Healthcare:
Definitely the culture. From day one, I felt like a valued member of the team. I’ll remember the warmth of colleagues, the openness of leadership, and the way BHC fosters both excellence and genuine community. As I return home, I know I’ll miss that sense of belonging — and being part of a system where care is a right. This experience has deepened my conviction that healthcare must be both compassionate and strategic, and that real change is possible when organisations put people at the centre. Bromley Healthcare is a truly special place filled with special people, and I feel lucky to have found mentorship, support, and inspiration in this community.
Bromley Healthcare gave me not just an internship, but a model of what healthcare can be when innovation meets compassion. I look forward to carrying these lessons forward — and staying connected to the team that made this summer so special.