They have been designed to make it easier for patients to see who is in charge of hospital wards after research found many were confused.

They will be phased-in across Wales over the next few months.

Staff will be given more uniforms and hospitals are working to make on-site laundry and changing facilities available to control infections.

Wales is the first nation in the UK to introduce a national uniform.

The proposal for a national uniform was one of the recommendations within the Free to Lead Free to Care report.

It was published by an expert group set up by the Welsh Assembly Government to look at enhancing the role of hospital ward sisters and charge nurses.

The group found some patients were confused over who was in charge of a ward due to the range of uniforms used in different hospitals.