LONDON (AP) - Designers in Britain are working to build a better hospital gown.

Some stylish new designs were unveiled today in London, as part of a British effort to increase patient dignity.

They include gowns that snap down the side, to replace the shapeless cloth sacks that flash open at the worst possible moments.

One jaunty striped gown has a pouch for a cell phone and comes with a fleece blanket. It's the work of American-born fashion designer Ben de Lisi, who says hospital patients “are at their very lowest ebb” and a better gown could help them feel more confident.

Other ideas for improving the hospital experience include “modular bed pods” that increase privacy by funneling sound from bedside chats down instead of out.

The labor government has promised to get the designs in hospitals across England next year - if it wins a national election this spring.
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