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Responses > Complaints Regarding Staff Member’s Uniforms/Appearance

Freedom of Information request Complaints Regarding Staff Member’s Uniforms/Appearance

Response published: 8 April 2025

FOI Request

I would like information on complaints received by your hospital relating to staff member’s uniforms/appearance. Please answer the following four questions under the Freedom of Information Act and see example answers as a guide. Please could you provide the following information: 1. What was the total number of complaints received by the Trust in the financial year between April 2023 - March 2024, and in the financial year from April 2024 to date [example answer: 2,034 between April 2023 - March 2024, 1,999 between 1 April 2024 – present day] 2. How many of those complaints related to the uniform, appearance or dress code of staff members (including but not limited to concerns about tattoos, hair colour, piercings, political or religious symbols/statements, hygiene or adherence to uniform policy)? Of those, how many complaints related to nurses. [example answer: 12, of which 3 related to nurses] 3. What did the complaints with regards to the uniform, appearance or dress code specifically relate to? [example answer: nurse had multiple visible tattoos] 4. What was the outcome of the complaints? [example answer: upheld, not upheld, partially upheld]

FOI Response

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 405-2025

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.

You asked:

1. What was the total number of complaints received by the Trust in the financial year between April 2023 – March 2024, and in the financial year from April 2024 to date

Our response:

161 complaints were received between April 2023 – March 2024

191 complaints were received between April 2024 – present day

You asked:

2. How many of those complaints related to the uniform, appearance or dress code of staff members (including but not limited to concerns about tattoos, hair colour, piercings, political or religious symbols/statements, hygiene or adherence to uniform policy)? Of those, how many complaints related to nurses. [example answer: 12, of which 3 related to nurses]

Our response:

There were no complaints relating to staff member’s uniform/appearance.

You asked:

3. What did the complaints with regards to the uniform, appearance or dress code specifically relate to? [example answer: nurse had multiple visible tattoos]

Our response:

Not applicable

You asked:

4. What was the outcome of the complaints? [example answer: upheld, not upheld, partially upheld]

Our response:

Not applicable

Next steps:

Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:

Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.