Mandi’s HCA UK Story
Having spent 15 years at HCA Healthcare UK’s London Bridge Hospital, Mandi Bryant has gone from scrub nurse to manager of the UK’s largest private robotic surgery programme. Her journey reflects a career built on hard work, opportunity, and teamwork – and her passion for putting the right people together to deliver world-class patient care.
How long have you been working here?
I’ve been with HCA UK for 15 years now. I started as a scrub nurse at London Bridge Hospital, which was my first nursing job in the UK after relocating from South Africa. Over time, my career just evolved naturally within the organisation. I didn’t have a set plan at the start. I just focused on doing my job well, and when opportunities presented themselves, I put myself forward.
How did you get started?
When I joined HCA UK, I didn’t know much about the organisation and chose London Bridge Hospital mainly for its location. Looking back, I’m so grateful that I did. The environment, the people, and the opportunities I’ve had since then is what has kept me here. The support I received along the way has allowed me to grow into a leadership role that I genuinely love.
What’s your role and what do you do day-to-day?
Predominately problem-solving and peace-keeping! As Theatre Manager of the Private Care at Guy’s site I oversee four operating theatres within the London Bridge Hospital campus. We specialise in gynaecology, urology, and robotic surgery, and we are proud to run one of the largest private robotic surgery programmes in the UK, with three da Vinci robots. I manage a team of around 40 colleagues, both clinical and non-clinical – in areas from scrub and anaesthetic nurses to recovery and admin.
A large part of my job is about ensuring the right resources are in the right room at the right time. Theatres is a highly skilled environment, and it’s the team dynamic that drives our standards – and ultimately – our success. Our consultants need to feel completely confident in the individuals supporting them, so we put a lot of effort into recruitment, training, and maintaining that trust.
Can you tell us about the people you work with?
The people I work with are genuinely one of the best parts of my job. I am surrounded by talented, dedicated professionals who bring skill, compassion and pride to everything they do. We support each other, we communicate openly, and together we create an environment where everyone feels they belong and can thrive.
Our nurses are brilliant – they could work at any hospital they wanted, yet they choose to be here. A testament to their passion, their loyalty and the kind of environment we have built together. Even on the toughest days that shared commitment to delivering exceptional care keeps us moving forward.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
Working alongside people I admire and watching everything come together successfully in our operating theatres. The technology, the team, the preparation, and knowing that everyone is working seamlessly toward the same goal can be incredibly rewarding. Having patients, colleagues and Consultants recognise those efforts make the difficult days worthwhile.
Do you have any standout stories?
We had a difficult procedure to be done using new technology, this understandably caused a fair amount of anxiety for clinicians and our clinical colleagues. After many hours of planning and preparation everything went exceptionally well. When asked for feedback the surgeon simply said, “I had been worried before, but the moment I entered the room I wasn’t sure why, everyone else knew exactly what needed to be done”. His comment captured everything we work so hard to achieve.
“There’s a real healthcare community at HCA UK. When you put yourself out there and connect with other teams, it opens doors. If you are interested in another area of the business, you can simply put your hand up and say, “I’d love to get involved.” That’s the beauty of working here: no one is ever going to say “Sorry, we don’t have time for you.”
Have you taken advantage of your benefits?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate with the opportunities for learning and development here. With the support of HCA UK and a great line manager I’ve recently completed an MBA while working full-time. There are so many pathways you can explore if you’re curious and willing to learn. If you put up your hand and say, 'I’d love to get involved in that project,' nobody says no, that’s one of the things I love most about HCA UK.
What makes you stay at HCA UK?
It’s the culture. There’s a genuine sense of collaboration and professionalism here. People want to do a good job and help each other do the same. There’s also a flexibility that recognises life outside of work. I’m a mum, and I’ve always felt supported in balancing my responsibilities. It’s an organisation that values both excellence and humanity, which I think is rare.
What’s next for you?
Right now, I’m focused on developing our robotic surgery programme even further and exploring how data and technology can continue to enhance patient care. I’ve only recently recovered from an intensive few years of study, so I’m still thinking about what my next steps might be. But I’ve never been one to plan too far ahead – so for now, I’ll keep doing my best and see where the next opportunity takes me.