How to Write a Scrubs Uniform Policy for Your Clinic (With Checklist)

A clinic scrubs policy sets out who wears which uniform, how it should look, how it is laundered and replaced, and what is not allowed. A good one is short, specific and practical, so staff can follow it without asking, and managers can apply it fairly. Start from your infection-control requirements and your regulator's expectations, then add the appearance, branding and allowance rules that suit your clinic.

Why a written policy is worth the effort

Most clinics have uniform rules, but many are unwritten or scattered across emails. That causes problems: new joiners guess, managers apply rules differently and disputes about lost scrubs or personal choices take up time.

A written policy:

• gives every staff member the same clear expectations from day one;
• supports infection-control practice by making hygiene rules explicit;
• protects the clinic's brand, so patients see a consistent team;
• sets out what the clinic provides and what staff are responsible for;
• makes it easier to handle exceptions, such as religious dress, pregnancy or medical needs, consistently.

Check your regulatory requirements first

Clinics in the UAE are licensed by different authorities depending on the emirate and type of facility, including the Dubai Health Authority, the Department of Health Abu Dhabi and the Ministry of Health and Prevention, with other bodies covering some free zones and emirates. Before you finalise your policy, check what your licensing authority and your own infection-control lead expect on staff attire and hand hygiene, and make sure the policy is consistent with it.

It can also help to look at how other health systems approach this. For example, NHS England's guidance on uniform and workwear policies for NHS employers is widely known as the "bare below the elbows" guidance, and it leaves the development of local uniform policies and dress codes to individual organisations. Use guidance like this as a reference point, not a substitute for your own regulator's rules.

What to include: the core sections

1. Purpose and scope

State why the policy exists (patient safety, infection control, professional appearance) and who it applies to: clinical staff, support staff, front desk, students, locums and contractors.

2. Uniform by role

List what each role wears. A table is the clearest format.

Role	Top	Trousers	Cap	Other
Doctors and dentists	Scrub top, clinic colour A	Matching trousers	Where required	Optional lab coat for consultations
Nurses and assistants	Scrub top, clinic colour B	Matching trousers	Where required	Name and role embroidered
Hygienists or therapists	Scrub top, clinic colour C	Matching trousers	Where required
Front desk	Scrub top or tunic, colour D	Matching trousers	Not required

If you use colour coding, explain it here and keep it simple enough that patients can follow it. Our guide on scrub colour coding by role covers how to set one up.

3. Appearance and condition

Describe what "presentable" means in practice:

• scrubs clean, unstained and in good repair at the start of each shift;
• the correct size, with no alterations that change the agreed look;
• names, logos and role labels visible and not covered;
• worn and faded scrubs reported for replacement.

4. Hygiene and infection control

This is the section to agree with your infection-control lead. Typical points include:

• staff start each shift in a freshly laundered set and change if scrubs are visibly soiled;
• rules on sleeves, jewellery, watches and nails in clinical areas, to support hand hygiene;
• whether scrubs may be worn outside the clinic, including during the commute or on errands;
• where staff change, and where clean and used scrubs are stored;
• that scrubs are uniform garments, not PPE, and when gowns, aprons or other protective equipment must be worn over them.

5. Laundering

State who launders scrubs (staff at home, on-site laundry or a contractor) and what standard is expected. If staff wash at home, give clear instructions on temperature, detergent, separating scrubs from other laundry and drying. Our guide on how to wash scrubs can help you write this section.

6. Allowance, replacement and return

Set out:

• how many sets each role receives on joining;
• how and when scrubs are replaced, and who approves replacements;
• what happens if scrubs are lost or damaged;
• whether scrubs are returned when someone leaves, and what happens to embroidered items.

For help with the numbers, see our article on how many scrubs each staff member needs.

7. Undershirts, layers and footwear

Staff often work in cold air-conditioned rooms after a hot commute, so they will want layers. Say what is allowed: plain undershirts in a specified colour, approved scrub jackets or cardigans in non-clinical areas only, and the footwear rules (closed toe, cleanable, non-slip).

8. Religious, cultural and medical needs

UAE clinic teams are multinational, and a fair policy makes room for different needs within the same overall look. Address:

• long-sleeve options or underscrubs, and how they fit with your hand-hygiene rules;
• head coverings and hijab-friendly caps in the clinic colour;
• maternity scrubs and adjustments for pregnancy;
• medical or disability-related adjustments.

Explain how staff request an adjustment and who decides. Keeping these options in the clinic's colours means everyone still looks part of the same team.

9. Identification

Specify how staff are identified: embroidered names and roles, ID badges, or both. If you embroider names, agree the format (first name only, or name and role), the language (English, Arabic or both) and the process for name changes.

10. Responsibilities and review

Name who owns the policy, who checks compliance and how often the policy is reviewed. Include a date and version number.

Writing tips

• Keep it short. Two to four pages is enough for most clinics. Put detailed laundering instructions in an appendix.
• Use plain language. Write for staff whose first language may not be English, and consider an Arabic version.
• Be specific. "Plain white or navy undershirts only" is easier to follow than "appropriate undershirts".
• Explain the reason. Staff follow rules more willingly when they understand why, especially hygiene rules.
• Match what you provide. Do not require a colour, cap or jacket that the clinic does not issue or that staff cannot buy.

Rolling out the policy

1. Draft with input. Involve your infection-control lead, a senior clinician, HR and a front-desk representative.
2. Check against supply. Confirm the uniforms in the policy can actually be ordered in all the sizes, fits and options you have listed.
3. Share and explain. Brief staff before the policy takes effect, and give them a chance to raise questions.
4. Issue the uniforms. Collect sizes in advance so everyone receives their sets at the same time.
5. Review after three to six months. Adjust anything that does not work in practice.

Clinic scrubs policy checklist

• Purpose, scope and the staff groups covered
• Uniform by role, including colours and any colour coding
• Appearance, condition and replacement standards
• Hygiene rules agreed with the infection-control lead
• Rules on wearing scrubs outside the clinic and changing on site
• Laundering responsibilities and instructions
• Allowance on joining, replacement and return on leaving
• Undershirts, jackets, layers and footwear
• Religious, cultural, maternity and medical adjustments
• Identification: names, roles, badges and languages
• Policy owner, review date and version number
• Checked against your licensing authority's requirements

A policy is only as good as the uniforms behind it. MISHAREN makes scrubs to order at its own unit in Kerala, India, delivered across the UAE, in your clinic's colours, fits and size breakdown, with logos, names and roles embroidered before delivery, so the garments match what your policy describes.

To set up the uniforms for a new or updated policy, see our medical scrubs options or contact us for a quotation.