Birmingham Hospice Grounds Maintenance & Specialist Exterior Cleaning

Project Type: Grounds maintenance and specialist exterior cleaning
Client: Birmingham Hospice
Sector: Healthcare / hospice care
Service: Grounds maintenance, steam cleaning and window cleaning
Scope: Vegetation cutting, weeding, block paving preparation and steam cleaning, window cleaning, bird feeder installation and general outdoor tidy-up
Team: Two-person team
Timescale: Two-day programme – one day of grounds work followed by one day of steam cleaning
Environment: Outdoor areas surrounding end-of-life care patient rooms

Overview of the Birmingham Hospice Project

Exterius carried out a programme of grounds maintenance and exterior cleaning at Birmingham Hospice to improve the outdoor views from end-of-life care patient rooms.

The objective was to create a cleaner, brighter and more welcoming outdoor environment for patients and their families.

The work combined practical grounds maintenance with specialist cleaning. Overgrown hedges and willow trees were cut back, weeds were removed, block paving was prepared and steam cleaned, windows were cleaned and the surrounding outdoor spaces were generally tidied.
Bird feeders were also installed to encourage wildlife closer to the patient-room areas.

Because the work was being completed immediately around end-of-life care rooms, the team needed to deliver the project sensitively, protecting patient privacy and avoiding unnecessary disturbance throughout.

The Requirement

Birmingham Hospice wanted to improve the condition and appearance of the outdoor areas visible from its end-of-life care patient rooms.

Overgrown vegetation was affecting the outlook from the rooms, while the block paving, windows and surrounding garden areas also required attention.

The project therefore brought together several services within one coordinated programme:

Grounds maintenance around patient-room areas
Cutting back overgrown hedges
Cutting back willow trees
Weeding and preparing block paving
Steam cleaning the block paving
Window cleaning
Installation of bird feeders
General tidying of the outdoor areas

Alongside the practical work, the setting required a particularly considerate delivery approach.

The Scope of Work

The programme included:

Grounds maintenance around the patient-room areas
Cutting back overgrown hedges to improve the outlook
Cutting back willow trees
Removal of weeds from the block paving
Preparation of the paving before cleaning
Steam cleaning of the block paving
Window cleaning around the patient-room and garden areas
Installation of bird feeders
General tidying of the outdoor spaces

The works were completed by a two-person Exterius team over two days.

The Challenge

This project was not simply about improving the appearance of an outdoor space.

The work was taking place around end-of-life care patient rooms, meaning the team needed to remain conscious of the people inside the building throughout the project.

Patient privacy and minimising disturbance were therefore important considerations alongside the grounds and cleaning work itself.

At the same time, the team needed to complete a varied programme covering vegetation, paving, windows and general outdoor presentation within the agreed two-day schedule.

Key Challenges

1. Working Sensitively Around Patient Rooms

The location of the work required a careful and respectful approach.

Patients receiving end-of-life care and their families were using rooms immediately beside the areas being maintained and cleaned.

The Exterius team carried out the work with patient privacy in mind and worked to avoid unnecessary disturbance throughout the project.

2. Improving the Outlook From the Rooms

One of the main objectives was to improve what patients and families could see from the patient rooms.

Overgrown hedges and willow trees were therefore cut back to open up and improve the surrounding views.

The wider grounds were also tidied to help create a cleaner and more welcoming external environment.

3. Combining Grounds and Cleaning Services

The project involved more than one type of service.

The first day focused on grounds work, including vegetation management, weeding and preparation of the outdoor areas.

This was followed by a second day of steam cleaning, allowing the block paving to be refreshed once the initial grounds work had been completed.

Window cleaning and general tidying further supported the overall transformation of the area.

Our Approach

Exterius delivered the work as a coordinated two-day programme.

The approach included:

Completing a site induction before works began
Carrying out grounds maintenance around the patient-room areas
Cutting back hedges and willow trees
Removing weeds and preparing the block paving
Steam cleaning the paving
Cleaning windows around the patient rooms and garden areas
Installing bird feeders
Completing a general tidy-up of the outdoor spaces
Working sensitively around patients and families
Protecting privacy and avoiding unnecessary disturbance

Sequencing the grounds work before the steam cleaning allowed the different elements of the project to be completed in a logical order.

Delivery

The project was completed by a two-person team.

Delivery was split across:

Day one: Grounds maintenance and preparation works

Day two: Steam cleaning

A site induction was completed before the works began.

Throughout delivery, the team worked carefully around the patient-room areas, remaining conscious of patient privacy and the need to minimise disruption.

The Result

The completed programme transformed the outdoor areas around the end-of-life care patient rooms.

The results included:

Improved views from the patient rooms
Reduced overgrown vegetation
Cleaner and more presentable outdoor areas
Refreshed block paving
Cleaner windows
A brighter and more welcoming environment for patients, families and visitors
Bird feeders installed to encourage wildlife closer to the rooms
A general improvement to the presentation of the surrounding garden areas

By combining grounds maintenance, steam cleaning and window cleaning within one coordinated programme, Exterius was able to improve several elements of the outdoor environment at the same time.

Client Feedback

Emma Hollyoak, Facilities Manager at Birmingham Hospice, said:

“What a transformation! The area looks incredible; the team worked their socks off and I honestly couldn’t be more grateful…”

The feedback reflected the visible improvement achieved across the patient-room and garden areas.

Why This Project Required a Considered Approach

Facilities work in a healthcare and hospice environment can require a different level of sensitivity from work in many other commercial settings.

At Birmingham Hospice, the team needed to complete the agreed maintenance and cleaning programme while remaining conscious of patients receiving end-of-life care immediately alongside the work areas.

The project therefore required:

Considerate working practices
Respect for patient privacy
Careful working around occupied rooms
Coordination of several different external services
A focus on improving the environment without creating unnecessary disturbance

The Value of Grounds Maintenance and Exterior Cleaning

Regular grounds maintenance and exterior cleaning can make a significant difference to how an outdoor environment looks and feels.

In this project, the benefits extended beyond general presentation.

The work helped:

Improve views from patient rooms
Reduce overgrown vegetation
Refresh paved areas
Improve the appearance of windows and garden spaces
Create a cleaner and brighter outdoor environment
Encourage wildlife closer to the patient-room areas

For Birmingham Hospice, these improvements helped create a more welcoming setting for patients, their families and visitors.

Considerate delivery. Visible transformation. An outdoor environment improved for patients and families.

For commercial grounds maintenance, steam cleaning, window cleaning or coordinated exterior maintenance, contact Exterius to discuss your requirements.