Uniform to be mandatory for docs, other health staff, says Vij

Chandigarh, February 10

Haryana’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Anil Vij today said that the dress code would now be applicable to all staff in all government health facilities of Haryana.

T-shirts, leather pants Not permitted

T-shirts, stretch T-shirts/stretch pants, leather pants, capri, hip huggers, sweatpants, tank tops, strapless or backless tops, see-through dresses or tops, crop tops, tops shorter than waistlines, tops with low necklines, off-shoulder blouses, Sneakers.

For this, the uniform is being designed and would be mandatory for every employee on all days.

Vij told mediapersons that when you go to a private hospital, not a single employee is seen without a uniform, while in a government hospital, it is not clear who is a patient and who is an employee.

He said extreme dress styles, hairstyles, heavy jewellery, accessories, makeup and long nails during working hours are unacceptable. The name of the employee and designation shall be mentioned on the nameplate. Even trainees have to wear black pants with white shirts, he added.

The clothes should be properly fitted and not be as tight or baggy as to detract. Men’s hair should not be longer than the collar length and should not interfere with patient’s care. Unusual hairstyles and unconventional haircuts are not permitted, Vij said.

Nails must be clean, trimmed and well-manicured, he asserted.

He said jeans of any colour, denim skirts and denim dresses would not be permitted as also sweatshirts, sweatsuits, shorts, slacks, skirts and palazzos. Footwear must be black and free of all decoration, he added.

In response to the question on the government’s intention behind the dress code and how it would be implemented, the Health Minister said, “A hospital running under some policies requires a code of conduct from its employees and a dress code is part of it. A well-followed dress code policy in a hospital not only gives a professional image to an employee, but also presents an elegant image of an organisation in the public,” he said.

All hospital staff working in clinical (medics & paramedics), cleanliness and sanitation, security, transport; technical workers, kitchen workers, and field workers, are to be in uniform while at work. Employees looking after non-clinical administrative work in the hospital shall wear only formal dress, but jeans or T-shirts are not allowed. Non-adherence to the dress code shall lead to disciplinary action.

He said the staff working under Public Private Partnership services shall continue with their own system of dress code with nameplates.

All civil surgeons will ensure the designation-wise dress colour code as approved for the staff working in various health facilities, he said.