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Abstract
Staff on psychiatric wards stand apart from other specialities in that uniforms are not worn. This study aims to assess the attitudes of both staff and patients to the manner in which staff dress. A questionnaire was administered to patients, nurses and doctors in acute adult wards. In contrast to the patient group, all staff groups experienced more difficulty in differentiating staff from patients. Psychiatrists veered towards conservatism, which was in contrast to the patients who were more tolerant of casual dress; 36% of patients indicated that formal dress made staff less approachable. A clear message is that all groups favour the wearing of name badges by staff.