The East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is proposing a new uniforms policy, part of which will lead to a ban on doctors, nurses and health visitors in the county from wearing novelty socks. The policy will also include excessive tattoos and ‘unusual’ hairstyles.
The reasoning behind this is to project a ‘corporate’ image and make them look more ‘business like’ and so the sick and dying patients they are dealing with, can feel they are being cared for by professionals.
This has to be one of the most ridiculus ideas of the week!
I have been ‘attached’, for want of a better word, to one hospital or another for the past 6 years and I can, quite honestly, say that I couldn’t give a toss what kind, colour or pattern of sock the doctor was wearing or if they wore any at all.
I have been seen by many doctors and it has, most often, been the case that the ones who are dressed in a ‘business’ suit are the most scruffy. I’ve also had blood taken by a gorgeous male nurse who was immaculatly dressed (casually) and whose arms were covered in tattoos.
Surely when you are ill, and consequently feeling at your worst, it would be beneficial to have the people around you that are relaxed and not looking over their shoulder all the time wondering if Hattie Jacques is going to bellow at them because Spongebob Squarepants is peeking out from under their trouser leg.
I sometimes wonder if all these new ‘policies’ are all dreamt up by people with nothing better to do than try to justify why they should have a desk.
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