Nurses have been banned from showing cleavage or baring midriffs after NHS trust warned they must uphold hospital standards.

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust has issued a strict new uniform policy for all staff after a series of complaints from patients.

The six-page uniform policy was agreed in March and aims to establish a "professional and consistent" image which reflects the ''Trust's values''.

It reads: "Staff will not dress in ways that undermines the spirit of this policy and clothing that exposes the midriff, torso or excessive cleavage, along with wearing denim, shorts, leggings and mini-skirts, are not acceptable."

Hannah Middleton, Unison branch secretary for the Trust, said the policy was agreed by trade unions and staff councils following a series complaints from patients.

She said: ''We needed a policy that covered all staff whether they were in the clinical side or non-uniform staff.

''There had been complaints from patients about members of staff baring their midriff and problems with health and safety as some had been wearing sandals.

''There has always been a policy but it has now been toughened up.''

The Trust has also warned staff it will carry out ''audits'' of the uniform policy in every ward, department and service area.

Anyone caught breaking the uniform policy, which applies to nurses, doctors and non-clinical staff, will face disciplinary action.

The policy also bans the wearing of hair ribbons, combs and sharp decorativeslides and orders beards and moustaches to be ''clean and neatly trimmed''.

(Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)