NHS uniform colours: the national list, role by role
Every role on the NHS England national uniform colourway sheet, with base and trim colours, why it is by role not band, and trusts that do it differently.
- Independent · sells nothing
- Published October 23, 2026
- 6 sources, checked October 23, 2026
- 5 min read
Short answer
- The NHS England national uniform colors each role by a base color plus a contrast trim on a smart scrub top.
- Nurses wear hospital blue with navy trim, HCAs lilac, students cloud blue and matrons purple, according to the NHS Supply Chain sheet.
- Colors are set by role, not by Agenda for Change band; bands only appear in some local trust versions.
- Adoption is trust-led, and some trusts differ from the national sheet, so always check your own trust's policy.
In this guide (7 sections)
On the NHS England national healthcare uniform, every clinical role is identified by a base color and a contrast trim on a smart scrub top. Nurses wear hospital blue with navy trim, midwives postman blue, healthcare assistants lilac, students cloud blue, and allied health professionals white or ruby with a trim that shows their profession. Adoption is a trust-led decision, so your trust may still use its own colors or a local variant of the national list.
What are the NHS national uniform colours?
NHS Supply Chain announced the colourways on 4 October 2023, after consulting clinical staff. The uniform covers nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, healthcare science and the allied health professions (AHPs). At launch, the announcement said garments would be available from early 2024.
The tables below are transcribed from the NHS Supply Chain colourway sheet (an A3 PDF hosted by the British and Irish Orthoptic Society). Color names are given exactly as published. The sheet itself warns that colors on screen may look slightly different from the real fabric, so don't match a uniform from a photo.
Nursing, midwifery and roles shared across professions
| Role | Base color | Trim |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse | Hospital blue | Navy |
| Nursing associate | Sky blue | Sky blue |
| Nursing practitioner | Royal blue | Navy |
| Midwife | Postman blue | Navy |
| Advanced practitioner | Dark red | Navy |
| Matron | Purple | Navy |
| Team leader | Navy | Dark red |
| Head of department | Black | Red |
| HCA or support worker | Lilac | Navy |
| Students | Cloud blue | Navy |
Pharmacy and healthcare science
| Role | Base color | Trim |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacist | Bottle green | Navy |
| Pharmacy technician | Sherwood green | Navy |
| Healthcare science practitioner | Eau-de-nil | Navy |
| Healthcare science scientist | Peacock | Navy |
Allied health professions
AHPs share a white or ruby base. The trim tells you which profession it is.
| Role | Base color | Trim |
|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapist | White | Navy |
| Occupational therapist | White | Bottle green |
| Prosthetist/orthotist | White | Hospital blue |
| Dietitian | Ruby | Hospital blue |
| Speech and language therapist | Ruby | Postman blue |
| Orthoptics | Ruby | Black |
| Operating department practitioner | Ruby | Sky blue |
| Osteopath | Ruby | Cloud blue |
| Music, art and drama therapist | Ruby | Sherwood green |
| Podiatry | Ruby | Royal blue |
| Diagnostic radiographer | Ruby | Eau-de-nil |
| Therapeutic radiographer | Ruby | White |
Two worked examples of reading the sheet:
- A ruby top with a black trim is orthoptics. A ruby top with a white trim is therapeutic radiography.
- A navy top is a team leader if the trim is dark red. The same navy appears as trim on most other roles, so look at the body of the top, not the collar.
Are NHS uniform colours by band?
No. The national sheet assigns colors by role. It does not mention Agenda for Change bands anywhere.
Bands only come in when a trust adapts the scheme. Derbyshire Community Health Services (DCHS) is one example. In a staff update dated 3 June 2026, it said nursing colleagues at bands 6 and 7 can now wear navy after staff feedback, and that eligible staff could exchange hospital blue or royal blue items. The same update ties lilac polo shirts to unregistered staff at bands 2 to 4, but only for a clinically supported health condition, a reasonable adjustment or another exceptional reason.
So if you are asking "what band wears navy?", the honest answer is that it depends on your trust. Nationally, navy is the team leader color.
What colour does a matron wear?
On the national sheet, matrons wear purple with navy trim. That is not universal.
Bedfordshire Hospitals' uniform page shows matrons in red with black trim. The same page shows team leaders in navy with navy trim, where the national sheet has navy with dark red. Bedfordshire is otherwise close to the national list, with nurses in blue, HCAs in lilac and students in cloud blue.
This is why every color guide, including this one, should end with "check your trust". Local versions are allowed, and some trusts use them.
How many trusts use the national uniform?
RCNi reported on 27 November 2025 that, according to NHS Supply Chain, 16 trusts in England had adopted the national uniform and 14 more had agreed to implement it. The same report said 90% of nurses at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust chose scrubs over dresses.
Rollouts since then include Bedfordshire Hospitals, which said staff would appear in the new uniform from 5 January 2026. RCNi ran a follow-up in May 2026 on how many staff are wearing the new options, but the figures are behind a paywall and we have not checked them. Treat the November 2025 numbers as a snapshot that is now almost a year old.
Why is the white physio uniform on hold?
The DCHS update of 3 June 2026 said NHS Supply Chain had confirmed the new white uniform for occupational therapy and physiotherapy was below the quality standard it expected. DCHS therapists were told to keep wearing their existing uniform until a suitable fabric is tested and secured. The trust said the national white uniform may take 12 to 18 months to become available.
The same update describes the national uniform fabric as lightweight and breathable with an extra 10% stretch. It also said polo tops would no longer be embroidered, because embroidered garments cannot be washed at 60°C. That links color choices to laundering rules. Our guide on how to wash scrubs covers the 60°C question, and scrub fabric blends explains why many fabrics can't take it.
How does NHS Scotland compare?
NHS Scotland has had a national uniform since 2018, set out in DL(2018)4. It uses a single color per role rather than base plus trim, and navy trousers are worn with most tunics.
| Role (NHS Scotland) | Tunic color |
|---|---|
| Clinical nursing managers band 8A+ and nurse directors | Smoked berry burgundy |
| Senior charge nurses/midwives, community team leaders | Navy blue |
| Registered nurses and dental nurses | Cornflower blue |
| Registered allied health professionals | Mediterranean blue |
| Healthcare scientists, pharmacy technicians, dental care professionals | Ocean blue |
| Unregistered staff and healthcare support workers | Pale sky blue |
| Catering, domestic, porters, admin and clerical | Mid-green |
| Catering and domestic supervisors | Dark green |
| Nursing, midwifery and AHP students | Silver-grey |
Scotland does use bands for one group: the burgundy tunic is for clinical nursing managers at band 8A or above. England's national sheet has no equivalent band rule.
If you are about to start a placement, our guide to what color scrubs nursing students wear compares UK and US student uniforms. For the dress code that comes with the uniform, see bare below the elbows rules.
What to check before you act
- Ask whether your trust has adopted the national uniform, and get its own color list.
- Check for local variants, such as band rules or a different matron color.
- Don't buy a uniform to match an on-screen color. The NHS Supply Chain sheet warns that screens differ from fabric.
- If you are an OT or physio in England, check whether your trust has paused the white uniform.
- In Scotland, follow DL(2018)4 and your health board's policy.
Questions people ask
What colour do nurses wear in the NHS?
On the NHS England national uniform, registered nurses wear hospital blue with navy trim. Trusts that have not adopted the national uniform may still use their own colors, so check your trust.
What colour does a matron wear in the NHS?
The national colourway sheet lists matrons in purple with navy trim. Some trusts differ: Bedfordshire Hospitals shows matrons in red with black trim.
What colour do healthcare assistants wear?
The national sheet puts HCAs and support workers in lilac with navy trim. In NHS Scotland, unregistered staff and healthcare support workers wear pale sky blue.
Are NHS uniform colours based on pay band?
No. The national sheet assigns colors by role, not Agenda for Change band. Some trusts add band rules locally, such as navy for band 6 and 7 nurses at one community trust.
Do all NHS trusts use the national uniform?
No. Adoption is a trust-led decision. NHS Supply Chain figures reported in November 2025 put adoption at 16 trusts, with 14 more committed.
What colour do student nurses wear in the NHS?
Students wear cloud blue with navy trim on the England national uniform. In NHS Scotland, nursing, midwifery and AHP students wear a silver-grey tunic with navy trousers.
General information only, not medical, legal or employment advice. Your employer's uniform and laundry policy comes first, and brand specs and prices change. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Sources
- NHS National Uniform Colourways, England (NHS Supply Chain A3 sheet, via British and Irish Orthoptic Society)checked October 23, 2026
- NHS national healthcare uniform colourways announced (British and Irish Orthoptic Society, 4 Oct 2023)checked October 23, 2026
- New NHS uniforms: most nurses choose scrubs rather than dresses (RCNi Nursing Standard, 27 Nov 2025)checked October 23, 2026
- National uniform rollout: further update, 3 June 2026 (Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS FT)checked October 23, 2026
- Our uniforms (Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)checked October 23, 2026
- DL(2018)4: NHSScotland national uniform and dress code (Scottish Government)checked October 23, 2026