Your Dress and Appearance
You have the responsibility as a student at the University undertaking a programme leading to a professional qualification to dress in a manner that maintains the good name of the profession and of the School of Health and Medical Sciences. Your wearing of either the School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform or your own clothes when on practice placement exposes you to the public gaze and should inspire confidence and respect from your patients/clients and carers. Consequently, it is essential that you always dress and act in a way that promotes public confidence in your personal and professional integrity. You have a duty of care to act strictly in accordance with the guidelines provided by the professional statutory and regulatory body (the General Medical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professions Council), the School and the University. In practice placement areas, a smart and professional appearance has a direct effect on practitioner/patient relationships and subsequent care. A professional approach to appearance and dress can also reduce the risk of cross infection and maintain not only your own safety, but also the safety of your patients and your colleagues.
Uniform should only be worn whilst on duty or in a campus learning environment, this helps to minimise the risk of being called upon to assist in a manner that exceeds your capability as a healthcare student. In this policy you will find detailed guidance on meeting the minimum standards required by the Uniform and Dress Policy of the School and it is essential that you follow the Policy carefully.
The purpose of the policy is as follows:
- To ensure you maintain a professional appearance at all times
- To identify you as a student in placement or a learning environment
- To ensure the protection of you and the public
- To ensure consistent standard of dress whilst respecting where possible, current practices and cultural beliefs
- To minimise the risk of cross infection and facilitate good and effective hand decontamination
- To ensure uniforms are compatible with safe moving and handling
- Lanyards, badges, pins, ribbons or symbols which display a personal political affiliation or deemed offensive are not permitted.
- Cloth or footwear bearing slogans, political message, offensive language or clothes that could be interpreted as intimidating or threating must not be worn in placement or other clinical settings
- Adhere to the principles outlined above with regard to personal appearance and professionalism.
- Your hair should be clean, tidy and tied off the face. It should be free of adornment other than a simple hair band or ring.
- Shoes should be comfortable, designed to support your feet and loco-motor system. You should be able to walk (and potentially move fast) easily and undertake the required duties safely.
- You may only wear a plain wedding or civil partnership ring
- In practice areas such as community areas and mental health, you are working in a context where you likely to be more vulnerable. You should not wear items of clothing that may make you vulnerable to strangulation by, for example, a disorientated patient, such as a scarf or tie
Your School of Health and Medical Sciences Uniform
Radiography students – Clerkenwell Campus
The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for Radiography students consists of the following:
- White tunic with short sleeves (no epaulettes)
- Black trousers
Diagnostic Radiography students – Tooting Campus
The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for Diagnostic Radiography students consists of the following:
- Scrub tops
- Radiographic markers
- Name badge
- Radiation monitoring device
Additional clothing: Students are expected to supply black trousers and appropriate footwear [as described in additional requirements section].
Radiotherapy and Oncology students – Tooting Campus
The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for Radiography students in the Tooting campus consists of the following:
- Tunics
- Trousers
- Name badge
- Radiation monitoring device
Additional clothing: Students are expected to supply appropriate footwear [as described in additional requirements section].
Nursing and Midwifery students
The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for Nursing and Midwifery students consists of the following:
- White tunic with short sleeves
- Navy blue trousers
OR
- White, short sleeved, knee length dress
Additional clothing: you are only permitted to wear a clean and tidy navy blue lightweight and easily washable cardigan. Wearing of cardigans is not permitted when undertaking direct patient care.
Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) students
In some SLT settings, and in negotiation with your practice area, you may follow the non-uniform dress policy (outlined in Section 3 below).
In other SLT settings you will be required to wear a uniform. The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for SLT students consists of the following:
- University-issued polo-shirt
Refer to the non-uniform section of this policy and the organisation’s policy for guidance on additional clothing.
Paramedic Science students – Tooting Campus
The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for Paramedic Science students consists of the following:
- Green polo shirts
- Pairs of trousers
- Pair of Magnum boots
- Soft shell jacket
- Hi-Viz Jacket
- Pairs Epaulets
Additional clothing: Students will be provided with green polo shirts for simulation placement activities. Students are expected to supply belts and socks.
Physiotherapy students – Tooting Campus
The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for Physiotherapy students consists of the following:
- Tunics
- Trousers
- Polo shirt
- Student name badge
Additional clothing: Students are expected to supply appropriate shoes.
Healthcare Science (Clinical Physiology) students – Tooting Campus
The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for Healthcare Science consists of the following:
- Polo shirts
- Scrub tops
- Scrub Trousers
Additional clothing: Students are expected to supply black trousers and appropriate footwear [as described in additional requirements section].
MBBS students – Tooting Campus
Uniform is not required unless specified by the placement provider. Please follow the guidelines for non-uniform dress outlined in Section 3 below.
MPAS students – Tooting Campus
Scrub top or as specified by the placement provider. Please follow the guidelines for non-uniform dress outlined in Section 3 below.
Occupational therapy students – Tooting Campus
The School of Health and Medical Sciences uniform for Occupation Therapy consists of the following:
- Bottle green trousers
- White tunics
- White polo shirts
Additional clothing: Students are expected to supply appropriate footwear [as described in additional requirements section]
Optometry students
You are not required to wear a uniform but should follow the guidelines for non-uniform dress outlined in Section 3 below. When working in a clinical area you should wear a white lab coat over your own clothes, unless you are working in a paediatric setting or Moorfield’s Hospital placements.
Cultural Adjustments
Students can contact the programme team to discuss cultural or religious requirements. Adjustments to the uniform for cultural/ethnic reasons will be considered where possible but must be in line with national and local policies, ensuring that the health and safety and security of patients or staff is not compromised. In relation to the university supplied items of uniform, adjustments are limited to the option of wearing standard uniform issued trousers under the dress for nursing and midwifery students.
- Sleeves - must finish above the elbow in order to comply with health and safety and infection control policies. The wearing of long-sleeved garments under the dress or tunic is not permissible.
- Dress - must not be longer than knee length to allow for maximum mobility and to comply with health and safety policies.
- Headscarves – a plain white, black or navy blue headdress (nursing and midwifery) or a plain black headdress (radiography) can be worn with no adornment and must be safely tucked in to your collar. There may be specific placements where headscarves are not to be worn around the neck according to the provider's policy. Students will be informed by the allocations team if they have been allocated to such a placement and offered an alternative if uncovering the neck is not acceptable for religious or cultural reasons.
- Facial covering for religious reasons is not permitted whilst on duty. This is to ensure that you are identifiable, and to enhance engagement and communication with patients, staff, visitors and colleagues.
- A plain white, short sleeved t-shirt may be worn under the dress or tunic to cover the neck area if required
- A black turban or skull cap may be worn
Other Uniform Adjustments
If you require gender neutral or alternative uniform for health reasons please contact the programme team to discuss your requirements. Alternative uniforms will only be provided based on a clear rationale.
Additional requirements
- Where provided students must always wear and display name badge and radiation monitoring devices
- Visible jewellery and wrist watches are not permitted however a single pair of small stud earrings may be worn for pierced ears.
- Wedding bands that are not likely to scratch a patient may be worn.
- Long hair must be tied back off the collar.
- Nail varnish may not be worn.
- For relevant students plain low-heeled shoes that enclose the whole foot – black or brown and must be NON absorbent and wipe able. Absorbent shoes such as Converse, fabric trainers, sandals, clogs, flip-flops, Crocs are NOT acceptable.
Issuing of Uniforms (Clerkenwell Campus)
At the beginning of the programme students will be invited to join a uniform portal to place their order for their uniforms with an external provider. Typically, uniforms will be delivered to a student’s home address.
It is a good idea to make sure that you get a size which will allow you to look and work professionally whilst undertaking any care delivery activities including moving and handling. This set of uniforms is provided free of charge and is intended to last you for the duration of your programme.
Students should place an order for their full entitlement of uniform as soon as possible to avoid any delays to the start of their placement. Students are entitled to three sets of uniform, which must be ordered in their first year of study.
Any uniform entitlement not ordered in a student’s first year will be lost, and any additional uniform required will need to be purchased.
When you have completed or withdrawn from your programme it is mandatory to dispose of your uniform so that it cannot be used by anyone else. This is to protect the reputation of the School of Health and Medical Sciences, the profession you are training to join and your status as a graduate. Any misuse of the uniform may result in further action.
Students may be offered the opportunity to return their University-issued uniforms as part of a recycling scheme.
Issuing of Uniforms (Tooting Campus)
The uniform is supplied by your Programme Teams and supplied at the start of term or before your first placement.
Instructions on fitting, ordering and distribution of uniforms will be provided at clinical preparation sessions for each programme. These sets of uniform are provided free of charge and are intended to last you for the duration of your programme.
Replacement Uniforms
Replacements will be given if your clothing gets damaged operationally only. This means whilst you are out on placement. Replacements will not be made for any damages outside of placements for which, you are liable. Replacements will not be made for dramatic differences in sizes. You can however be given the details of the suppliers in which to order your own.
‘Damage’ can include:
- Rips and tears
- Infection control risks – Please seek advice from your PPEd regarding this. They will help inform you if they deem that your uniform poses an infection control risk after an ‘event’.
Laundering Uniforms
To promote a professional image and to reduce the risk of cross infection you are expected to wear a clean and neatly pressed uniform every shift. You must make sure that you wash your own uniform at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. Speech and language therapy polo shirts can be washed at 40 degrees Celsius.
In some specialist placement areas such as in the labour ward, intensive care unit or operating department, special uniforms are provided by the placement provider. These are replaced daily and are laundered as part of the normal dirty linen procedure. You must make sure that you place such clothes in the designated dirty linen bin/store when you complete your shift and they will be collected by the linen team.
Travelling to and from Placement
When travelling to and from your placement, you must wear your own clothes and change into your uniform at your placement site. Wearing uniform outside the placement site or skills laboratories could place you at risk and incurs infection.
Dress Code when on Community Placement
When you are on a community placement you are not normally required to wear your uniform, but in situations where it is necessary you must always be accompanied by a registered practitioner to provide you with supervision and protection.
Protective Clothing
There will be times during your practice placement when you may be required to wear protective clothing. This may be to protect either your patient or to protect you as the health care provider from unnecessary health and safety risks and serious accidents. In these situations, it is essential to make sure that you understand and abide by the related policies and procedures for wearing the protective clothing. You have the responsibility to ensure you are knowledgeable about these policies from your first day on each placement. Make sure that you always wear and discard any protective clothing safely and in a timely manner.
Plastic Aprons and Gloves
When you wear either plastic aprons or gloves you must always adhere to local policies and practices.
- Aprons must be worn in accordance with the PPE policies of the placement and a different apron must be worn when caring for a different patient. You must make sure that you dispose of your apron safely and correctly. The apron creates an impermeable barrier between the patient and the area of the uniform which has the most patient contact, which aids the prevention of cross infection.
- Gloves should only be worn and disposed of according to the local policies of the placement provider.