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 The Royal Free has introduced a new style of hospital gown to save patients’ blushes during their stay in hospital.
Unlike the old-style gown which tied loosely at the back, the new “modesty gown” is wrap-around and made with a much thicker, better quality material, while still allowing clinicians access to examine patients. The old gowns were potentially embarrassing for patients and made of a thin material so not as warm. This led to the Department of Health commissioning top designers to develop different styles of gowns for patients in hospital to address these problems. Patient Suzanne Perrin said: “I wouldn’t wear the old gowns. I feel much more comfortable wearing the new gowns and they are also much better for people with a fuller figure.” The Royal Free introduced the new modesty gowns last October and the trust is now moving towards full use of these on all wards. Mary Flatley, the Royal Free’s lead research and development nurse for dignity in care, said: “People used to put one on the front and one on the back so they felt safe and covered. The new gowns not only help to protect patients dignity but it also makes financial sense to move to the new modesty gowns as patients now only need one.” Ends Notes to editors 1) For further information contact: Aysha Shah, communications assistant, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, 020 7317 7590, aysha.shah@royalfree.nhs.uk 2) Picture: Steve Isherwood, healthcare assistant with patient Suzanne Perrin. 3) The Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust’s services have been rated “excellent” for the third year running by the Care Quality Commission. We are renowned for our specialist services including liver, kidney and bone marrow transplantation, clinical neurosciences, renal, AIDS/HIV, infectious diseases, plastic surgery, immunology, vascular surgery, ENT surgery and audiological medicine, amyloidosis and scleroderma. We run a major accident and emergency service, all branches of surgery and medicine, a renal service serving the whole of north London, paediatrics, maternity services, care of elderly people, an adolescent psychiatric service and one of two high security infectious diseases units in the country. We are a leading haematology centre and a major neuroscience base with a network extending throughout north London and into the Home Counties. We have associated internationally recognised research and training programmes. For more information visit www.royalfree.nhs.uk. We are a member of the academic health science partnership UCL Partners.
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