RADIOLOGY staff at Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are sporting new uniforms this week in response to the introduction of bare-below-the-elbows infection control guidelines.
The clothing was replaced to comply with the new Department of Health rules as well as to keep staff warmer than previous uniforms.
Department spokeswoman, Carole White, explained: “Although we like the look of scrubs, we did find our old uniforms were too thin for the air-conditioned hospital and the fabric not strong enough. Full of holes, we felt they were becoming more of a casualty that an ER. We wanted a more practical alternative uniform that offered the relaxed comfort of scrubs, and the staff love the result.”
The new uniforms were supplied by Grahame Gardner and are made from Teredo, the company’s durable medical fabric, which is designed to be long-lasting, easy to care for and warmer than traditional scrubwear as it is made of poly-cotton.
Identification of radiology staff was also a problem prior to the new uniforms, but now different colours are used to differentiate between the various disciplines within the department.
White said: “All staff are wearing black trousers with different colour tops; light blue for staff nurses, mid-blue for radiographers and green for the support workers. The cardiac physiology technicians opted for raspberry.”
