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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

NHS are not giving my wife any uniform AIBU?

106 replies

filletofishmeal · 01/06/2022 10:42

My wife started her job in March, and within the first week the uniform was ordered. She chased this up in May and was initially told that she did not order any, and then after my wife insisted she has the uniform lady admitted she ordered the wrong size. It is now June and she asked for an update today, and was told that it is not coming anytime soon.

We have collectively spent over £100 on uniform, and she needs to buy summer outfits for work ( which is part of her dress code and was ordered 3 months in advance). She says that there is no one to complain to as there is only 1 person in the department, so she can get away with not doing anything. She never picks up her phone and ignores people's messages, basically waiting for her pension to kick in !

AIBU for saying that the NHS should really give her the promised uniform, as I don't really fancy spending another £100 when it is down to their laziness.

OP posts:
Sleepingb · 01/06/2022 13:10

I have to buy my own work clothes too. Most people do. And a week's office wear would cost the same if not more. People on minimum wage still wear clothes every day.

This is a very odd thread.

Notmyzoonotmymonkeys · 01/06/2022 13:12

@filletofishmeal
That's not on, I work for the NHS and anybody new starting in my department have to pick up there uniform before there start date.

Sleepingb · 01/06/2022 13:12

And where are you that it's too hot for a blouse? What's the blouse made of? Canvas? Surely one down from a blouse is sleeveless vests??

Pluvia · 01/06/2022 13:14

filletofishmeal · 01/06/2022 11:15

I bought her some black trousers and white blouses, but she now needs summer clothes as it is too hot to wear the blouses.

Show quote history

Why isn't she able to buy her own clothing? Why isn't she posting here herself?

Some red flags here.

myammus · 01/06/2022 13:15

what a weird thread.


  • she can buy her own clothes, what’s it got to do with you?

  • when she has a uniform she won’t have a ‘summer’ version of it so…

  • she could ask for access to the scrubs room and wear those for free

  • she can buy 4 t shirts from primark for £10, what are you ranting about £75 for?

  • again, what has any of this got to do with you?

Subbaxeo · 01/06/2022 13:18

Can’t she wear scrubs?

myammus · 01/06/2022 13:24

also, millions of people have to pay for their own work clothes so her temporarily having to do that before her uniform arrives is no huge hardship

SirChenjins · 01/06/2022 13:27

Still no clarification on her role?

BadNomad · 01/06/2022 13:31

I'm trying to think of which roles are clinical, but don't involve patients, and have both a summer and a winter uniform. 🤔

TheFairyCaravan · 01/06/2022 13:35

Why are clothes bought in March now ruined? That doesn’t make any sense at all.

No one in the NHS gets a winter and Summer uniform, anyhow.

Testina · 01/06/2022 13:37

I’m glad it’s not just me that found the OP’s posts disconcerting.

Hankunamatata · 01/06/2022 13:37

Ask for a lab coat. All trusts keep those as stock

HerbivorousRex · 01/06/2022 13:41

If she’s doing direct clinical care (Doctor/nurse/AHP etc) then she can probably borrow scrubs. If her manager is aware of the situation then they should be able to arrange this (when I was nursing I sometimes had to borrow scrubs if my uniform got dirty during the shift, it was never an issue).

She could also try asking around to find out if anyone has any unused uniform she can have (if she’s a size 8-18 then there are likely to be people who are leaving/have changed weight/are pregnant etc, who will have uniform that they don’t need anymore).

I can’t imagine that the summer uniform is that different from what she’s currently wearing. Surely she can still wear the black trousers and then just get some very cheap short sleeved t-shirts or blouses (obviously it’s not ideal that she needs to spend her own money on these but Primark has them for about £2.50).

Also, whilst the NHS has lots of systemic issues this just sounds like it’s just one slightly useless person causing a problem and you can find someone like that in any organization!

As an adult with a job surely your wife is able to figure out these solutions for herself (or at least ask her manager at work what they would suggest).

Octomore · 01/06/2022 13:41

islamann · 01/06/2022 11:38

I'm pretty sure this isn't entirely correct.
I'm clinical nhs and if uniform isn't available we can wear scrubs. Non clinical staff don't have to wear uniform. Admin staff who are patient facing just wear office wear which you'd have to buy if you worked elsewhere.
What is her role?

I agree - my experience has been the same at the trust's I've worked at.

IncompleteSenten · 01/06/2022 13:43

Yes they should have. But since they haven't your wife needs to tell them that until her uniform arrives, she will be wearing t-shirts and trousers. She can buy them really cheaply in Primark.

Octomore · 01/06/2022 13:43

BadNomad · 01/06/2022 13:31

I'm trying to think of which roles are clinical, but don't involve patients, and have both a summer and a winter uniform. 🤔

Yeah, there aren't any!

I also find the "I bought...." stuff quite strange. They are husband and wife, surely it's "we bought...". She's an adult with a job, not a child.

ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave · 01/06/2022 13:45

You and your wife have a very interesting relationship. When is she going to turn up on the thread so you can talk about her resting bitch face?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4262276-AIBU-fianc-s-wedding-car-suggestions

WhatsHoppening · 01/06/2022 14:03

It sounds like you and your wife are getting yourself het up and winding each other up with this ‘massive issue’. Which isn’t an issue at all and happens all the time. I’m a nurse but specialist area and it always takes ages for my uniform to come. I wear scrubs or normal clothes and they are fine. You need to calm down and accept it. They’ll arrive at some point. Then they’ll be boiling, uncomfortable and unflattering and she will wonder why she was so desperate for them. You need to just calm down and be a voice of reason rather than taking on this crusade.

Blossomtoes · 01/06/2022 14:26

ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave · 01/06/2022 13:45

You and your wife have a very interesting relationship. When is she going to turn up on the thread so you can talk about her resting bitch face?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4262276-AIBU-fianc-s-wedding-car-suggestions

Well found! I test drove a Yaris once. It was shit.

Testina · 01/06/2022 14:27

Octomore · 01/06/2022 13:43

Yeah, there aren't any!

I also find the "I bought...." stuff quite strange. They are husband and wife, surely it's "we bought...". She's an adult with a job, not a child.

Show quote history

Not even “we”, but “she”!
It’s just creepy.

Andromachehadabadday · 01/06/2022 14:40

This thread is fucking weird.

Especially the part op refers to what his wife’s employer told, not her, but them. Why would he be talking to anyone at her employer?

If my dp was telling people what my employer had told ‘us’, I would laugh at him. My employer never tells him anything.

Then the ‘I bought’, is worrying. The shitty Yaris and RBF is the least of their problems by the sounds of it.

Lilliput · 01/06/2022 16:55

He's gone very quiet.
Really weird.

Botoxbotox · 01/06/2022 17:02

You sound controlling as fuck. Stop peppering your wife about this leave her alone.
Your post makes no sense anyway

Thedogscollar · 01/06/2022 17:08

@filletofishmeal
Bloody hell talk about mountain and mole hill.
Why are you buying your wife's clothes?
What is her actual role?
How are blouses hot unless made of wool!

If she is in a clinical patient facing role she can wear scrubs. They are FREE and she can leave them at work to go to the laundry then get another set on her next working day.
It's really not that difficult.

ThinWomansBrain · 01/06/2022 17:13

what would you expect your wife to do if she worked somewhere that didn't provide uniform? Turn up naked?
If PP has only spent £75 in 2 years on scrubs that are still going strong, that's a lot less than most people spend on clothes for work.