Tree Surveys for Care Homes & Healthcare Sites
Urban Tree Management provides tree risk surveys and cyclical inspection programmes for care homes, hospitals, hospices, and healthcare estates across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside, and nationally. We work with some of the UK's largest healthcare providers — including BUPA Care Homes, MHA, NHS Property Services, and Circle Health — delivering the objective, evidence-based tree safety assessments that healthcare duty-holders rely on to protect residents, patients, staff, and visitors.
Our consultants are Enhanced DBS-checked, QTRA-licensed, Lantra PTI certified, and qualified to Level 6 in Arboriculture — the standard required to produce defensible tree safety reports for sensitive healthcare environments.
Why Healthcare Sites Need Specialist Tree Management
Care homes and healthcare sites carry a heightened duty of care. Residents and patients are often elderly, frail, or less mobile — less able to move away from a falling branch, and more vulnerable to harm. Grounds and gardens are actively used for the wellbeing of residents, placing people directly beneath and around trees every day. This combination of high occupancy and vulnerable users means the duty of care under the Occupiers' Liability Acts and the Health and Safety at Work Act is particularly significant.
A structured programme of tree inspection provides clear evidence that a healthcare provider is managing foreseeable tree risk responsibly — protecting residents and staff, and protecting the organisation in the event of a claim.
Our Healthcare Tree Services
- Cyclical Tree Risk Surveys — regular VTA and QTRA-based inspection programmes on a 12 or 24 month cycle, tailored to the site and occupancy, giving continuous duty of care compliance.
- Tree Health & Safety Audits — a full assessment of the tree stock with a prioritised schedule of works, so budgets are spent only on works that genuinely reduce risk.
- Specialist Decay Detection — where a significant tree shows signs of internal decay, advanced investigation confirms its condition before any decision to fell or retain a valued specimen.
- BS5837 Surveys for Development — where a care home or healthcare site is extending, adding parking, or building new facilities, full BS5837 planning support.
- Emergency & Post-Storm Assessment — rapid response where a tree has been damaged or raises an urgent safety concern.
Available on a Retained Basis
Most of our healthcare clients keep their sites on a retained tree management programme — one managed schedule across all sites, tracked reinspection dates, priority response, and one predictable annual figure. Ideal for care groups and healthcare estates managing multiple sites.
Trusted by Leading Healthcare Providers
Urban Tree Management has delivered tree condition and risk surveys across a wide range of healthcare and care settings, including:
- BUPA Care Homes — tree risk surveys across their North West care home portfolio
- MHA (Methodist Homes) — one of the UK's largest charitable care providers
- Hartford Care Group — tree safety surveys across their care home sites
- NHS Property Services — tree safety surveys on NHS estate
- Circle Health Group — private hospital and healthcare sites
- Independent care homes, nursing homes, and hospices across the North West
- Hospital and medical centre grounds across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Cheshire
We understand the specific requirements of healthcare estates teams, facilities managers, and care group operators — clear reporting, defensible records, minimal disruption to residents, and works schedules that respect tight healthcare budgets.
DBS-Checked & Fully Insured
Every Urban Tree Management consultant is Enhanced DBS-checked and cleared to work on care home, hospital, and healthcare sites where vulnerable people are present. We hold £1 million Professional Indemnity and £5 million Public Liability insurance. Our work follows HSE guidance and the National Tree Safety Group publication Common Sense Risk Management of Trees.
FAQ
Do care homes and hospitals legally need tree surveys?
Healthcare providers have a duty of care under the Occupiers' Liability Acts and the Health and Safety at Work Act to manage foreseeable risks from trees. Given the vulnerability of residents and patients, regular proportionate inspection is the recognised way to demonstrate that duty is being met.
How often should trees at a care home be inspected?
It depends on the trees and how the grounds are used, but for healthcare sites with vulnerable users and actively used gardens, a 12 to 24 month cycle is typical. We recommend an interval as part of every survey.
Are your surveyors DBS-checked for care home and hospital work?
Yes — every consultant is Enhanced DBS-checked and cleared to work on sites where vulnerable adults and children are present.
Can you manage tree safety across a group of care homes?
Yes — we provide cyclical tree risk management programmes for care home groups and healthcare estates, keeping all sites on a tracked inspection schedule with consistent reporting.
Will you only recommend works that are genuinely necessary?
Yes — as independent consultants with no financial interest in tree works, we recommend only works that genuinely reduce risk, protecting your budget.
Case studies
Tree Surveys for Care Homes & Healthcare — North West & Nationwide
Urban Tree Management provides DBS-checked, QTRA-qualified tree risk surveys and cyclical programmes for care homes, hospitals, and healthcare estates — protecting vulnerable residents and demonstrating duty of care. Completely independent from any tree surgery contractor.
Get in contact with our highly experienced and personable team of arboricultural consultants today, to discuss your requirements and to obtain your zero obligation quotation.
