Who's Who - Guide to Staff
The different uniforms are actually meant to help patients identify staff but there are so many of them that it can be confusing. There are men and women staff members, and the women may wear a tunic and trousers or a dress although the male nurses are in the same colours as the female nurses.
As a quick guide, the ward sister who manages the ward wears navy blue with a white trim and the deputy ward manager wears royal blue with a navy blue trim. Registered nurses have royal blue uniforms with a white trim and assistant practitioners, who are qualified nurses but unregistered, wear lilac. And trainee assistant practitioners wear white with lilac epaulettes.
Everyone employed by the hospital wears a plastic name tag with a red block of colour on it, so you can always check if you're concerned about identity.
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Health Care Assistants
Are easily spotted because they wear white uniforms with pale green epaulettes; they are supervised by registered nurses.
Matrons
Look after the patient's welfare and the ward environment - they wear a grey and black striped uniform. And, if you have a problem with your care, the matron is just the person to talk to.
Nurses
Who specialise in a particular area of health, for example diabetes, wear navy blue uniforms with a red trim.
Doctors and Pharmacists
Are often in ordinary clothes, although pharmacy technicians will be in white uniforms with a yellow trim.
Physiotherapists
Wear white with a navy blue trim, and physio helpers wear plain dark blue uniforms.
Occupational Therapists
Wear white with a green trim or just plain green uniforms.
Technicians
Technicians for ECG wear plain white dresses while a phlebotomist. who takes your blood sample, wears pale blue.
Ward Clerk
Will wear a navy blue blouse or multi-coloured blouse and a navy skirt.
Other Staff
It is obvious who some staff like chaplains are, or cleaners because of what they're doing. Everyone employed by the hospital wears a plastic name tag with a red block of colour on it, so you can always check if you're concerned about identity.
If you need help on the ward, a good piece of advice is to either look for a navy blue uniform with a white trim or a grey and black one as these are often the people in charge.