Ordinals (1st, 2nd etc)

[JackMatthams]

What

Update our guidance to answer queries on the when to write out ordinals in number form (1st, 2nd etc.) or in word form (first, second etc.).

Why

Following new guidance on numbers, particularly the number 1, we need to clarify guidance on ordinals as there are similar issues of confusion when to use each form.

Examples include: "1st hand and 2nd hand" or "first hand and second hand" "1st aid" or "first aid" "1st time" or "first time"

[sarawilcox]

At the January 2020 Style Council meeting, and following further conversations on the NHS.UK Slack channel, we've agreed the following. Clinicians have now reviewed it and signed it off.

We use numerals with letter suffixes for ordinal numbers (including 1st and 2nd), for example when we’re talking about dates, quantities and things in a list or sequence. For example:

• a 2nd dose of vaccine
• 2nd half of pregnancy
• 3rd month of pregnancy
• the 5th day of the month

We do not use ordinal numbers in phrases like:

• first aid
• first time
• first visit
• secondhand smoke
• second opinion

[sarawilcox]

Published: https://service-manual.nhs.uk/content/numbers-measurements-dates-time#numbers