HOSPITAL bosses have ordered a cover up -- after patients complained they could see nurses' knickers!

Care staff in Burnley were exposing their legs and dark-coloured briefs as the standard white nurses' dresses became more transparent by the wash.

That made the angels look less than angelic, sparking complaints from two of the 500,000 people who pass through local hospitals each year.

Now the girls have been told to slip on a slip to save their blushes.

Burnley Health Trust chiefs have told nurses to wear underskirts as part of a review of uniform policy.

That means that fancy earrings, necklaces, belts and coloured cardigans which had crept into the outfits of some care staff are also out.

Nursing director Lesley Doherty said: "The white dresses become transparent after a few washes and you could begin to see their legs, and knickers, dark ones, spotted ones..."

"We did get complaints from patients."

Mrs Doherty said the trust had simply spelled out its existing uniform policy to staff: "The overall aim is to ensure professional standards."

She added: "We are an acknowledged profession and seeing knickers through skirts is is no part of being professional."

Mrs Doherty said a leaflet had been sent round to nursing staff reminding them of the policy and she had received no complaints from staff.

She added that new better quality nurses' uniforms were being phased in from the end of September, which would add to smartness and make the seniority of nurses clear to patients.

Picture: Nurses' uniforms down the ages. From left, the 1948 outfit, a futuristic design by fashion students, and a contemporary style

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