Filbert Fox said:
The reason blues are worn by every tom dick and harry is not just one of cost for unlimited outfits and footwear (each time its soiled - changed, leave the wd/dept - changed etc..ward staff, A&E staff, Theatre staff, ITU staff = mucho sets of blues and laundry), but also nurses uniforms are an identity, everyone dressed in blues then no-one (patients, visitors etc..) would know who did what, after all youd not be able to sew on name badges or have any badges pinned to your blues.
The scrubs on issue to RCDM are treated the same as the standard uniform, i.e. a limited number issued, uniforms taken home and washed etc. They are worn in and out of the department and are not put into communal washing like the civvy blues. Each set of scrubs is issued to the individual for them and them alone, so sewing name badges etc doesn't present a problem. They are treated the same way as normal uniforms, the only real reason they are worn in these departments as opposed to normal uniform, is that they are more comfortable than the standard kit, and it gives a bit of departmental identity to the wearer. Theatre staff wear the normal civvy blues. Makes me laugh sometimes when I see the military staff running around in nicely ironed scrubs. If the wearing of this uniform is not a problem for these departments, where is the problem with issuing it to other ones?
Identity is nice and all, but what about our identity as soldiers?