DS52. Dress Code and Wearing of Uniforms in Domiciliary Care
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Dress Code and Wearing of Uniforms in Domiciliary Care Policy
This policy sets out the values, principles and procedures underpinning this care at home agency’s approach to dress codes and the wearing of uniforms in line with the national health and social care standards set out in My Support, My Life, particularly:
- 3.14: I have confidence in people because they are trained, competent and skilled, are able to reflect on their practice and follow their professional and organisational codes.
Policy Statement
In general, a care at home agency has a dress code to meet:
- people’s safety needs
- personal safety needs
- statutory regulatory requirements
- requirements of the immediate work environment
- health and safety requirements
- infection control requirements.
Thus this care at home agency has a policy in order to:
- enable staff to present a suitable, professional image, which should increase the confidence of people and others involved in their care and give a good impression to people considering services
- support infection prevention and control and food hygiene measures taken in line with the relevant policies and procedures
- enable the health and safety of staff, which might be impaired by incorrect choosing of clothes or footwear and articles that present hazards in their wearing.
All staff are required to comply with the dress/protective clothing/uniform code set by the agency. Failure to comply will in the first instance lead to warnings and reminders by their managers. Further failure to comply will be regarded as misconduct and could result in formal disciplinary proceedings.
Acceptable Dress and Unacceptable Dress
Care staff must dress in ways that are acceptable and non-offensive to the people they support, taking people’s gender, culture and religious customs into account. They should consider how they dress as part of the development of their working relationship with people. Where staff are not required to wear a company/professional uniform, they should use their common sense and discretion in choosing clothes and footwear that are suitable for the work being carried out and which meet health and safety and infection control requirements.
Specific guidance (examples)
[Here individual agencies might wish to specify what they consider to be acceptable and unacceptable clothing and footwear with examples of each.]
Visible tattoos should not be offensive to others and where they might be deemed to be offensive should be appropriately covered.
The wearing of jewellery should be kept to a minimum, eg a plain/wedding ring and pair of discreet earrings, and only worn if they do not represent a health and safety hazard or infection control risk.
Nails should be sufficiently short to ensure safe patient contact and good hand hygiene.
Hair should be neat and tidy at all times. Long hair should be tied back (particularly where food preparation is involved) so as not to present a health and safety hazard or infection control risk. It is permissible for staff to wear head coverings, where they do so for religious purposes. Otherwise caps and headscarves might be worn for protective purposes.
Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment
Care staff must wear all protective clothing, including protective footwear, when and where this is required for health and safety and infection control reasons. If individuals are unsure about such requirements, they should discuss this with their manager. (See also Infection Control and Cleanliness in Care at Home (Scotland) Policy.)
Uniforms (Where Applicable)
A company uniform, where it is company policy to require their wearing, should be worn in a clean and presentable fashion. Staff should have access to a spare uniform in case one becomes unfit for immediate use. Uniforms should not be worn outside of working hours.
Training
All new staff are instructed in the agency’s dress code policy as part of their induction programme and the requirements are reinforced through supervision. Proposed changes to the dress code are discussed with staff in meetings and training to make sure that there is general agreement and compliance with the outcomes.
Individual agencies will need to formulate their own local policies to meet the different dress code purposes and where they require staff to wear company uniforms.
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