9 ONCALL LONDON Scrub Colours Compared: Which One Fits Your Role?

Choosing a scrub colour feels like a small decision until you are standing in front of the wardrobe before a long shift. The colour you wear shapes how patients read your role, how sharp you still look by hour twelve, and how well your scrubs cope with the realities of a busy day. This guide compares all nine ONCALL LONDON scrub colours and matches each one to the roles, settings and shifts it suits best, so you can choose with confidence rather than guesswork.

Why your scrub colour matters more than you think

In UK healthcare, colour has long been a shorthand for role, but the rules are far from uniform. For years, England left uniform colour coding to individual trusts, which produced enormous variation from one hospital to the next, while Scotland and Wales standardised their systems more than a decade ago. That began to change when the colours for a new national NHS uniform were revealed in 2023, with a phased rollout from 2024 and blue chosen for nurses and nursing associates. Even so, adoption is left to each trust, and doctors are not required to wear a uniform at all times and sit outside the colour scheme entirely.

Here is the practical takeaway. If your trust or employer sets your colour, that decision is made for you, so follow local policy. But a large share of scrub wearers choose their own: doctors, dentists, vets, aesthetic practitioners, private clinics, students and therapists all have freedom here. For them, scrub colours come down to identity, setting and practicality, and that is who this guide is really for.

Beyond role identification, your colour choice quietly affects three things every shift: how well it hides stains and everyday marks, how it holds up after repeated washing, and the impression it gives, whether that is authoritative, approachable, modern or distinctive. With that in mind, here is how the nine colours stack up.

The nine ONCALL LONDON scrub colours, by role

1. Navy Blue

 

 

The definitive all-rounder. Deep, understated and quietly authoritative, Navy Blue is the colour most people picture when they think of scrubs, and for good reason. It hides stains and marks better than almost anything else in the range and holds its depth well over time.

Who it suits: senior and experienced clinical staff, doctors, and anyone who wants a safe, professional standard that works in any department. In many nursing settings, darker blues carry a sense of seniority.

Best for: the reliable default that fits almost any role and setting.

2. Sky Blue

 

Light, clean and calming. Sky Blue reads as fresh and approachable, and it sits comfortably within the lighter-blue family now associated with nursing associates and students. Being a paler shade, it shows marks more readily than darker colours, so it rewards a spare top on messier days.

Who it suits: paediatrics, primary care and GP practices, therapy and community roles where a gentle, reassuring look helps put people at ease.

Best for: patient-facing roles where approachability matters most.

3. Royal Blue

 

Confident and vivid, without ever leaving professional territory. Royal Blue gives you real presence on a busy ward while staying firmly within clinical convention. Its mid-depth tone is reasonably forgiving with everyday marks, striking a middle ground between navy and sky.

Who it suits: team leads and anyone who finds navy a little too safe and sky a little too soft, but still wants to belong to the blue family.

Best for: standing out while staying conventional.

4. Space Grey

 

Modern, neutral and understated. Space Grey is the contemporary alternative to the traditional blues, a clean mid-tone that pairs with anything and suits a design-led environment. It hides light marks reasonably well and never looks dated.

Who it suits: private clinics, dentistry, aesthetics and allied health settings where a current, considered look sets the tone.

Best for: a clean, modern alternative to blue.

5. Forest Green

 

Rich, traditional and grounded. Green has a long association with operating theatres and surgical settings, which gives Forest Green an instantly clinical feel with a touch of warmth. It is deep enough to stay forgiving through a demanding shift.

Who it suits: surgical and theatre teams, veterinary and dental professionals, or anyone who likes a heritage clinical colour that is not blue.

Best for: theatre and surgical settings, or a warm alternative to the standard palette.

6. Midnight Black

 

 

Sleek, premium and unmistakably modern. Midnight Black is the best colour in the range for disguising stains and marks, and it keeps a sharp, high-end look from the first hour to the last. It has become a firm favourite among practitioners who value a polished finish.

Who it suits: private practice, aesthetics, cosmetic and dental work, sports and rehab, and anyone with the freedom to choose who wants a premium feel.

Best for: a low-maintenance, high-end look with maximum stain-forgiveness.

7. Cherry Red

 

 

Bold, warm and full of energy. Cherry Red makes a confident, memorable impression and reads beautifully under clinical lighting, while staying dark enough to look smart all day. One thing to check first: some settings associate strong reds with senior or lead roles, so confirm local policy before you commit.

Who it suits: those with colour freedom who want a friendly, standout presence.

Best for: a strong, approachable impression where you set your own dress code.

8. Coffee Cream

 

 

Soft, warm and calming. Coffee Cream brings a gentle, welcoming feel that suits people-first environments. As a lighter neutral it shows marks more readily than the dark shades, so it works best in lower-mess settings or as part of a two-top rotation.

Who it suits: wellness, therapy, community and aesthetics, plus paediatric or elderly care where a soft palette helps people relax.

Best for: gentle, approachable settings that favour a warm neutral.

9. Wild Plum

 

Rich, distinctive and considered. Wild Plum is a deep purple that looks individual without ever looking unprofessional, and purple tones are often linked with specialist and senior staff. Its depth keeps it forgiving with everyday marks.

Who it suits: specialist and senior roles, or anyone who wants a colour that stands apart while still reading as clinical.

Best for: a distinctive, professional shade that is genuinely your own.

Scrub colours at a glance

The pieces you can shop in every colour

Whichever colour you choose, the range is built on three core pieces, all cut from the same four-way-stretch blend of polyester, rayon and spandex, so the fit and feel stay consistent across the board.

The scrub top: a slim-fit V-neck with breathable stretch and three pockets, including a dedicated pen pocket.

The scrub trousers: a straight-leg, slim fit with a smart pocket layout built for a full shift.

The scrub joggers: an athleisure-inspired cut with zipped storage that keeps your phone and bleep secure.

To see how that translates in practice, the Women's Solis Scrub Top in Midnight Black and its matching Solis trousers and Solis joggers are among the most popular in the range. Every colour on this list offers the same core line-up, so you can build a full set in whichever shade suits your role.

How to choose your scrub colour in under a minute

Start with policy. If your trust or employer sets your colour, the choice is already made. Everyone else can weigh up three quick factors.

Match the setting. Clinical and surgical environments lean towards navy, green and grey, while private, aesthetic and wellness spaces carry black, grey, plum and cream beautifully.

Think about the mess. High-mess roles reward the darker colours that hide marks best, namely navy, black, forest green and wild plum. Calmer settings can happily carry sky blue and coffee cream.

Decide on the impression. For authority, reach for navy or black. For approachability, sky blue or coffee cream. For a modern edge, grey or black. And when you want to stand out, royal blue, cherry red or wild plum will do it.

A note on fit, fabric and care

One thing worth knowing: every colour in the range is cut from the same four-way-stretch fabric, so your choice is purely about colour, never about comfort or performance. The scrubs are short-sleeve by design, built for easy movement and hygiene across a long shift. To keep any shade looking its best, ONCALL LONDON recommends washing inside out at 40°C. Darker colours will stay looking newer for longer, which is worth weighing up if you wash frequently or at higher temperatures.

Find the scrub colour that fits you

There is no single best scrub colour, only the one that fits your role, your setting and the way you want to be seen. If your workplace leaves the decision to you, use colour to your advantage: navy and black for a polished, forgiving default, sky blue and coffee cream for approachability, forest green for the theatre tradition, and royal blue, cherry red or wild plum when you want to be noticed. Whichever you land on, the comfort and performance underneath stay exactly the same.

Ready to find your fit? Explore the full ONCALL LONDON colour range and choose the shade that suits your shift.