Vital Services (VS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (BWC), was once again honoured to participate in the HOPE (Hospitals of the European Union) Exchange Programme this year, for the second year running. We welcomed two professionals for a four- week placement during May. The HOPE Programme is a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals across Europe to share experiences, learn from each other’s systems, and foster cross-border innovation and improvement in patient care, infrastructure, and leadership.
Vital Services’ Estates Department remains the UK’s only estates department to host participants within both Estates and Medical Engineering — offering an unmatched insight into how non-clinical services underpin and enable the safe and effective delivery of outstanding patient care. This approach not only showcases the expertise and complexity involved in maintaining modern healthcare facilities, but also reinforces the importance of technical services in the wider healthcare ecosystem.
This year, we proudly hosted Dawid Budny, Deputy director for Administrative & Technical Staff at Bieganski Regional Hospital in Poland, and Mercedes Perez Andres, Occupational Health & Safety coordinator and qualified Industrial Engineer from the Murcia Health Service in Spain. Over the course of their placement, they were fully embedded within our Estates teams, and had the opportunity to experience first-hand the complexities, challenges, and innovation, involved in maintaining and improving the hospital environment.
A personal reflection
Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the HOPE Exchange Programme myself, spending four weeks in Greece visiting both the General Hospital of Larissa, and the Papageorgiou Hospital in Thessaloniki. It was a truly eye-opening experience — one that gave me a fresh perspective not just on how hospitals operate abroad, but also on how culture, infrastructure, and values, intersect within healthcare systems across Europe.
One of the most enriching aspects of the programme was that I was paired with a colleague from Italy. This meant that while I was absorbing the intricacies of the Greek healthcare system by day, I was also learning about Italian healthcare in the evenings, as we exchanged our thoughts, challenges, and observations over dinner. It felt like I was gaining two international perspectives at once.
Resilience and adaptability noted
What struck me the most during my time in Greece was the resilience and adaptability of the workforce. Despite financial and resource constraints, teams were incredibly resourceful and driven. The way that estates and facilities teams approached infrastructure challenges — many similar to those we face at home, particularly around ageing buildings — was familiar, and yet tackled with different tools and priorities. It gave me fresh ideas and a renewed appreciation for the flexibility and innovation required in our field.
I also gained a deeper appreciation of how cultural context influences priorities. For example, energy efficiency was a higher priority in Greek hospitals, partially due to climate and cost pressures, while patient communication and user-centred design seemed more pronounced in the UK. These differing priorities allowed for rich discussions and comparisons that truly helped all participants grow.
The experience made it clear that while healthcare systems vary widely across Europe — from funding models to digital infrastructure — the core mission remains the same: delivering safe, compassionate, and efficient care. Within that, estates and facilities play a critical role in enabling those outcomes, whether in Birmingham, Larissa, or Sicily.
The HOPE Programme has helped me grow both personally and professionally. It reminded me of the value of international collaboration, and how powerful it can be to step outside of your usual environment and see your profession through a new lens. I would absolutely recommend the programme to anyone, especially colleagues in non-clinical roles like estates and facilities. The opportunity to learn, share, and grow on a European stage is invaluable — and it’s something I’m proud that BWC continues to lead on, as the only UK Trust to ever host HOPE placements from an Estates perspective.
Learning Across Borders: Mercedes’ Experience
When I, meanwhile asked what motivated her to choose BWC for her Hope Exchange Programme, Mercedes Perez Andres said: “Hospitals are very specific workplaces, and I thought there should be many similarities among them in the UK and Spain — but on the other hand, surely there should be differences in the way we deal with the challenges faced — and that’s where I expected there would be much to is learn.”
She noted her admiration for the UK’s healthcare system, and was eager to explore how British professionals tackled infrastructure, safety, and sustainability challenges, especially in a high-pressure paediatric and maternity setting.
During her placement, Mercedes engaged deeply with the Vital Services teams, including Projects, Compliance, Health and Safety, Medical Engineering, Fire Safety, Mechanical and Electrical Management, Building Management, and Sustainability. She highlighted the kindness and openness of staff across departments, and said she valued the mix of hands-on and strategic activities — from team meetings to on-site inspections.
Contrast in infrastructure
Mercedes was particularly struck by the contrast in infrastructure between the two sites — learning about the historical challenges of maintaining the centuries-old Children’s Hospital, alongside witnessing the sustainable transformation of the Women’s Hospital through its impressive heat recovery system using groundwater.
She also appreciated the opportunity to participate in fire safety audits, risk assessments, and green energy initiatives. These experiences deepened her technical knowledge, and offered her ideas to champion back in Murcia. On the cultural and organisational side, she observed:
“I believe that at BCH, great importance is placed on patient information and communication, as well as on how the patient feels, which is especially crucial in child and maternity care. There is a great working atmosphere — something I am fortunate to also have in my home department in Spain.” Mercedes left the programme with a renewed focus on patient-centred environments, new technical ideas, and a broader perspective to apply in her future work.
Dawid’s Perspective: a fresh lens on infrastructure and innovation
Dawid Budny’s motivation for applying was similarly focused on professional growth. He said: “The main part of the internship at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital was a new experience — broadening the horizons of knowledge in aspects of functioning and organisation in Great Britain.” He appreciated every day of his placement, describing it as ‘full of new experiences and a huge amount of knowledge’. He was particularly impressed by the high level of hospital computerisation and digitalisation, recognising it as an area where he could bring real transformation back to his hospital in Poland.
He commented on the challenges faced by the Trust in maintaining a very old building, but also admired how BWC had managed to retain patient focus through thoughtful visual design that eases the hospital experience for children. He was also fascinated by the real-time monitoring capabilities embedded in building management systems — something he hopes to advocate for in Poland to improve system responsiveness and energy efficiency.
Looking ahead, Dawid intends to apply insights gained from BWC’s practices to improve his own organisation’s management and digital systems. He noted the programme’s value in enhancing his position within the healthcare sector. He also made valuable suggestions for expanding the scope of future placements to include sessions on hospital financing, billing, cybersecurity, and medical service development — areas of growing importance in every European health system.
To ensure Dawid and Mercedes experienced the full depth and breadth of our estates and facilities operations, a four-week itinerary was developed — designed not only to reflect our internal structure, but also to highlight the crucial interdependencies between technical services and patient care delivery.
From day one, our guests were welcomed with a thorough induction and orientation, offering an overview of BWC’s mission, vision, and operational context. This was followed by a walk-through of both hospital sites — Birmingham Women’s Hospital and Birmingham Children’s Hospital — allowing them to see the stark contrast between the historical architecture of the site and the modern infrastructure projects underway.
Throughout their placement, Dawid and Mercedes rotated across multiple estates and facilities teams, gaining in-depth exposure to the diverse disciplines that keep the hospital running safely and efficiently. Their time was split between technical, strategic, and people-focused activities to provide a well-rounded experience.
M&E engineering
One key area of focus was Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Engineering, where they joined operational teams during site inspections, asset reviews, and contractor meetings. This offered valuable insight into both the technical complexity and the compliance requirements of maintaining hospital-grade systems. They had hands-on opportunities to observe the planned preventative maintenance (PPM) process and emergency response procedures, and learned how we prioritise life-critical systems like fire suppression, HVAC, and medical gases.
The Ventilation and Building Management teams also played an important role in the itinerary. With increasing attention on air quality and infection control, this allowed Dawid and Mercedes to observe how the Trust manages air-handling units (AHUs), ventilation performance monitoring, and building automation systems. The integration of sustainability goals — such as energy-saving modes and temperature zoning — was particularly relevant for both participants as they look to embed greener solutions in their own institutions.
Their itinerary also included time with the Health and Safety and Compliance teams, where they reviewed risk assessments, audit processes, and health and safety training plans. This area sparked particularly rich discussions, as both visitors brought their own expertise, and were able to compare legal frameworks and enforcement standards between the UK, Spain, and Poland.
Understanding great estates leadership
Understanding that great estates leadership is as much about people as it is about infrastructure, we also arranged sessions with the Chief People Officer and the wider Human Resources team. These sessions highlighted how BWC invests in workforce development, supports wellbeing, and manages change across technical and clinical teams. Dawid and Mercedes were especially interested in the approaches taken to staff engagement and mental health support — elements increasingly recognised as critical to long-term retention in healthcare settings.
They also spent time shadowing the Projects team, witnessing how capital improvement projects are scoped, approved, and executed within the NHS framework. From early-stage feasibility studies to on-site contractor management and post-completion reviews, they saw how meticulous project governance supports effective service transformation.
Importantly, their time with us wasn’t all about work. We ensured that Dawid and Mercedes were welcomed into the social fabric of the organisation as well. A standout moment was their involvement in our annual Hospital Charity Sports Day, a fun and spirited event where teams from companies across the West Midlands come together to raise money for our hospital charity. Dawid and Mercedes enthusiastically took part, showcasing their competitive spirit and team camaraderie. It was a joyful and memorable way for them to connect with staff across all departments while supporting a cause close to our hearts.
Seeing the ‘invisible connections’
Both participants expressed that the diversity of their schedule provided more than just technical learning; it helped them see the invisible connections that hold a hospital together. The dynamic nature of their placements allowed them to form strong working relationships with staff at every level of the organisation. By the end of their four weeks, they had built a network of colleagues who shared knowledge, invited honest questions, explored real-time challenges together, and even enjoyed trips to the local pub together.
The HOPE Exchange Programme provides a rare and enriching opportunity to showcase the UK’s healthcare leadership on a European stage. By opening our doors to estates and facilities professionals, we are able to offer something completely unique — highlighting how vital non-clinical services are in delivering world-class care.
Not only does hosting benefit the visitors, but it also brings invaluable fresh perspectives into our own teams. It fosters collaboration, sparks innovation, and helps our staff see their daily work through an international lens.
We strongly encourage other NHS Trusts to consider hosting in the future. Participation in the HOPE Programme helps shape future leaders, creates opportunities for shared learning, and affirms the UK’s continued role as a driver of healthcare excellence in Europe.
As we look to the future of healthcare estates and facilities, international partnerships will only grow in importance. The challenges we face — climate change, digital transformation, and population pressures — are global in nature. Programmes like HOPE give us a vital edge, helping us stay connected, inspired, and informed.
To be a part of next year’s programme and make your mark on international healthcare collaboration, consider joining HOPE and showcasing your Trust’s expertise — especially if you work within the Estates or Facilities disciplines, where we have proven there is real value and global interest.
For more information about the HOPE Exchange Programme and how your Trust can get involved, contact the UK HOPE co-ordinator at ian.buczynski@nhs.net. Let’s continue to inspire, innovate, and lead — together.