Single-colourway uniform for NHS AHPs in England

The choice of the base colour has been narrowed down to three. NHS Supply Chain are asking AHPs to vote for their preferred base colour for the uniform. We encourage all speech and language therapists working in the NHS in England to respond to this survey. This survey will remain open until the 31 January 2023. Take part and have your say now.

Background

AHP professional bodies have been working with NHS Supply Chain: Hotel Services over the last two years on a project to develop a standardised national uniform for AHPs working within the NHS in England.

AHPs were asked their views on a range of options in 2021, including all AHPs wearing the same uniform in a single colour, clustering some of the AHP professions together to produce a reduced number of colours, use of embroidery to identify the professions within AHPs, or adopting a unique colour per profession.

Following further engagement in 2022, it was agreed that a single base colour would be adopted across all AHPs (both registered and support staff), with a specific contrast trim colour being used to identify each of the individual AHP professions.

What does this mean for me?

All AHPs (both registered and support staff) will wear the same colour.

This proposal applies to AHPs working across the NHS who already wear a uniform. This will impact on all AHPs in settings where a uniform is currently worn.

The uniform will be optional. It is recognised that there are many settings where it is not appropriate to wear a uniform.

There will be a range of uniform style options, including polo shirts, smart scrubs, and dresses. The smart scrub and dress will have two waist pockets and one breast pocket. The images are shown in the Workforce Consultation: A Case for Change document (PDF).

What next

The survey will close on 31 January 2023. It is proposed that the colour with the majority preference will be selected as the base colour for AHP uniforms.

It is intended that the new national uniform will be adopted through a phased approach, over a 2-3 year period commencing Autumn 2023.

Further information

• Further information on the style of the uniform is detailed in the FAQs
• Background to the National Healthcare Uniform project
• Vote now