Care home uniform colours: What do they mean?

In both private care facilities and NHS facilities, the colour of a worker’s uniform is used to denote their role, responsibilities and/or seniority. For example, according to the new NHS England uniform framework, nurse uniforms are a medium blue (‘Hospital Blue’) shade, whilst senior nurses and team leaders wear a darker navy blue uniform. For some healthcare uniforms, a contrasting trim can denote a specific role or level of authority within a team. 

This structured approach to colour-coding and role differentiation is designed to present a professional image of the care home, improving public confidence in the facility. With each role being assigned a particular care home uniform style and colour, this makes each facility seem much more organised, professional, well-presented and well-managed.

Not only do care home uniform colours improve the image of care homes, but they’re also extremely useful for residents, visitors and other staff members. At a glance, each worker’s role and responsibilities can be correctly identified, reducing the risk of communication errors.

In a fast-paced healthcare environment, every second counts – especially in the case of a medical emergency. Therefore, immediate identification of the correct staff member to approach will greatly improve the standard of care and ensure that residents and visitors don’t feel overwhelmed or anxious. Plus, with roles and seniority levels clearly defined, staff members will find it easier to determine which other workers to report to, thus improving communication all round.

In healthcare environments, colours are also carefully chosen for practical and hygiene-related reasons. Certain colours are better at disguising spills and stains, making it easier for care home workers to retain a professional appearance.

A set uniform with distinct colours and styles will improve team cohesion, collective identity and employee morale. When workers feel smartly dressed, this has a positive effect on their mindset and therefore their productivity, which means that healthcare uniforms can make a facility run more smoothly in addition to presenting a professional appearance to the public. Plus, with morale and team cohesion improved, care homes may be more likely to hold onto their staff, thus reducing hiring costs.

Many care homes in the UK are now privately owned, which means that care homes run by different companies can have different rules on care home uniform colours and styles. Due to this flexibility, private healthcare providers can choose colours that represent their organisation’s unique branding, which is important for company identity, morale, presentation and marketing. 

When choosing a healthcare uniform supplier like alsico, healthcare companies can also personalise their bespoke workwear with their company branding and logos. Discover our bespoke design service and embroidery service for custom care home uniforms that reflect your unique company identity.

It’s a well-established fact that different colours have varying effects on our mood, feelings and perceptions. For example, blue is known to be a calming colour, whereas yellow and red evoke more energy and movement. This is one of the reasons why blue is used so prominently in healthcare settings, where a calming and reassuring effect is often needed.