National nurses’ uniform to make its debut at NHS trust
Posted 16 May 2024 - 13:19
Nurses in Derbyshire will be the first to wear the uniform, which comes in various colours and is intended to make it easier for patients to distinguish between different NHS healthcare staff
Nurses working at a hospital trust in Derbyshire will be the first to try the new national NHS uniform for England.
Nine thousand staff working at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) will debut the colour-coded uniform in late summer.
Trust says uniform is ‘culturally sensitive’
Its two-piece ‘smart scrub tunic’ comes in a variety of colours that aim to distinguish different roles and healthcare teams in the NHS. Nurses will wear one of two shades of blue, depending on their role, with matrons wearing a deep purple.
It is hoped that the new uniforms will make it easier for patients to understand different roles and responsibilities in the NHS.
In UHDB's board papers, the trust states: ‘The new design incorporates measures which have been evaluated to ensure they meet durability requirements, are a comfortable weight and offer breathability and manoeuvrability.
It adds that the uniforms will be available in ‘an extended range of sizes and lengths and which are culturally sensitive – supporting a culture across the NHS in which everybody feels seen, respected and valued’.
Quick guide to a colour-coded nursing workforce
- Nurses: hospital blue with a navy trim
- Nursing associates: sky blue with a sky blue trim
- Nursing practitioners: royal blue with a navy trim
- Matron: purple with a navy trim
- Healthcare assistants or support workers: lilac with a navy trim
- Head of department: black with a red trim
Work underway to supply other trusts with uniform
NHS Supply Chain, the procurement arm of the health service, confirmed that while UHDB will be the first trust to introduce the new uniform, work is being carried out to secure supplies at a number of other trusts in England later this year.
However, it has previously said it could take a number of years to roll out the uniform across the NHS, due to individual trusts having their own uniform contract obligations.
Trust excited to be first ‘pathfinder’ trust for uniform
UHDB director of nursing Donna Bird said the uniforms will give patients better clarity on who is providing their care and will ‘reinforce staff professional identity’.
She added: ‘After months of planning, including matching uniforms to professional groups, we are looking forward to working with NHS Supply Chain and manufacturers in the coming weeks to size up our workforce and roll out the new uniforms this summer, being the first ‘pathfinder’ trust to deliver this national project.’
Nurses in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have been wearing standardised uniforms for a number of years, but employers in England have retained local discretion, resulting in diverse styles, colours, materials and branding.
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