Expert advice

NHS nurses’ national uniform: what to expect from your new scrubs

Standardised uniforms for nursing staff will soon be ready to wear – and they’ll come with a promise to be comfortable, functional, and hot-weather-friendly

Standardised uniforms for nursing staff will soon be ready to wear – and they’ll come with a promise to be comfortable, functional, and hot-weather-friendly

Plain clinical tunics in various colours on a clothes rail – standard national nursing uniform to be introduced in England
Universal, colour-coded designs should help eliminate uncertainty – even among staff – about who’s who in the clinical team Picture: iStock

A national uniform for nurses is now on order after repeated calls for standardised workwear in England’s NHS.

Speaking exclusively to Nursing Standard, NHS Supply Chain (NHSSC), the procurement arm of the health service, revealed details about the new uniform, including when it might be be delivered to staff, and what colours could be used.

Why is this happening and when will the new nursing uniform come into force in England?

Those in favour of a national uniform say it will make it easier for patients to identify different types of nurses.

While NHS nurses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been wearing standardised uniforms for some years, trusts in England have been able to choose their own designs and colours, leading to an array of styles, materials and branding across the country.

The issue has long been a source of debate for nurses, with many believing that differences in uniforms confuse patients, visitors and staff and could negatively impact on patient safety.

The 2013 report of the Francis inquiry into failures of care at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust emphasised the need to be able to identify staff’s specific roles.

‘We’re trying to make uniform very role-specific so it is clear who patients and visitors can speak to if they need help’

Kevin Chidlow, uniform procurement lead, NHS Supply Chain

In this context, NHSSC looked at development of a national uniform, following workforce consultation in 2021.

‘We wanted to create a better-quality uniform that would hopefully make staff feel proud to be a part of the NHS,’ says NHSSC uniform procurement lead Kevin Chidlow.

The team behind the uniforms says they will help ‘raise the individual’s professional profile’ while meeting NHS equality, diversity and inclusion elements.

Has the design been finalised and what colours will be used?

Illustration shows healthcare professionals, faces unseen, standing side by side in diverse uniforms – these differences will be eliminated with profession-specific designs in England’s NHS
Uniforms will mean uniformity, with trust-by-trust variation coming to an end Picture: Annette Taylor-Anderson

Of the more than 28,000 nurses who responded to the NHSSC consultation in 2021, 88% were in favour of their employers adopting a national uniform – a Nursing Standard survey on the topic in 2018 found a similar proportion.

More than half (51%) of respondents preferred the ‘smart scrub’ two-piece uniform, where the tunic is more fitted than the standard scrub top and has added pockets.

Mr Chidlow explains there was a stringent design and testing process, with ‘hundreds of people’ from different professions trying out the garments and providing feedback to create the final designs, known as ‘gold-seal’ samples.

These are expected to be the final design of the uniforms and are likely to be consulted on this coming spring and summer.

‘Each profession will have a core colour. It’s not too much of a secret that nursing is centred on blue, but there are some other colours in there as well. We’re trying to make it very role-specific so it is clear who patients and visitors can speak to if they need help.’

NHSSC confirmed the new uniforms will take cultural and religious background, age, gender, size and other factors all taken into consideration.

‘We made sure we had a cross representation [of consultation respondents] to understand different views, for example women going through menopause, those who were pregnant and different ethnic groups,’ Mr Chidlow adds.

Once the gold-seal samples are signed off by NHS England and other NHS organisations, the manufacturing process will start. Formal introduction, to be phased on cost and environmental grounds – is expected to begin at the end of this year or early next year.

‘We’re just trying to make sure where nurses do wear a uniform, they’ve got the best one possible’

Kevin Chidlow, NHS Supply Chain

‘There are perfectly good quality uniforms out there already, so it would not be appropriate to suddenly take them all back and say “have this new one”. That’s not a good use of NHS cash, or good environmentally,’ says Mr Chidlow.

‘But uniforms do wear out and will need replacing, so we’re trying to base it around that. Obviously the size of the NHS in England means it will take some time.’

What nursing settings and roles will a new uniform apply to?

Mr Chidlow says that, as now, not everyone in the NHS will have to wear them.

‘We are not trying to change policy to say every single staff member in the NHS has to wear a uniform, that might not be appropriate in certain clinical settings. We’re just trying to make sure where nurses do wear a uniform, they’ve got the best one possible’

Will nursing students have a uniform too?

Mr Chidlow confirms that nursing students – and trainee nursing associates – are also likely to have their own colour coding, with NHSSC consulting universities on the issue.

‘In some areas, universities provide the uniform so there would need to be some engagement, and we’re all set to do that on a case-by-case basis.’

What do nurses think of the plans?

Deeper pockets, comfort and appropriate sizing are at the top of the list when it comes to a national uniform.

Nursing Standard readers welcomed the news on social media but were clear that the garments had to be fit for purpose, reflect diverse needs and comfortable, especially in the hotter months.

Many called for nurses to have a say in the production of the garments. Some though, said they would prefer a pay rise to new uniforms.


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