Top 10 NHS Interview Questions and Answers

Top 10 NHS Interview Questions and Answers

In this article, we will describe frequently asked questions in an NHS interview – and suggest answers that will impress your prospective employer.

The most important thing is to say something. It’s OK to have opinions and get these across. The panel will know alot about you from your CV.

So, from their perspective the interview is about getting to know you, and judging whether you will fit into the team. They usually ask the same questions of all candidates.

1. Please summarise your career so far (or ‘tell me about yourself?’)

• This is often the first question, and usually means ‘tell me in 4-5 sentences about the jobs you have done’
• Your potential employer will want to know your professional skills and personality. So in your answer, be sure to tell them all about your employment history, education, training, and aspirations for the future
• Try to give your interviewer a snapshot of what you have achieved; and of course, don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. A gentle joke at some point (not at the start) helps
• Answer (example):

“After training at Nottingham/Sheffield Medical/Nursing School (etc), I worked at X hospital for Y months before moving on to Z hospital for 2 years. I particular liked working there as I gained skill(s) ABC etc.”

2. Why do you want this job (i.e. to work here)?

• You need to have a clear reason, not just why you want to be this type of health professional, but why that job here
• Answer (example, if it’s a hospital job):

“I would like to work in Newcastle as your paediatric department has an excellent reputation for X, and (I believe) is in the top five for Y (a relevant KPI, key performance indicator) in the country.”

3. Why do you want to work in the NHS? (i.e. what is good about the NHS?)

• This question gives you the chance to talk about why you are passionate about the NHS
• As one of the UK’s most respected institutions, the NHS expects all of its staff to adhere to its 7 core values, and you should know what they are
• By asking this question, your interviewer will be looking to make sure that your values align with the organisation’s (you also need to know their core values)
• In your response, you could talk about topics such as wanting to improve the standards of care for patients (and how) or your passion for accessible healthcare
• Answer (example):

“The NHS is one of the largest healthcare systems in the world and the largest employer in the UK and Europe. Therefore, working in the NHS will allow me to join a team of skilled, and passionate people whose priority is to provide the best healthcare for their patients. Thus my reasons for wanting to join the NHS are threefold:

1. Training: One of the principal reasons I want to work within the NHS is because it prides itself on giving its employees the opportunity to advance their skills and develop their careers

2. Job stability: It is also important for me and my family to have job stability. And as most hospitals (or health centres) in the UK are busy and have a huge demand for doctors, I hope my role will always be secure, allowing me to provide for my family

3. Improved quality of life: The UK has one of the largest economies in the world, provides an excellent opportunity for education (not just for me, for my family as well), and offers a good quality of life.”

Note. Don’t over-emphasise the excellent working conditions, e.g. generous holiday, study and maternity/paternity pay. Though these are very good reasons for getting a (permanent) NHS job!

4. What challenges does the NHS face right now?

• The NHS is currently undergoing significant challenges, not least because of the aftershock of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Your interviewer is likely to ask you about the challenges facing the NHS, as a way of assessing that you are clued in on the difficulties that NHS workers experience
• Your pre-interview research should enable you to answer this question; so be sure to keep up with the latest NHS news. The health section of the BBC website is useful
• You may want to explore issues like workforce planning, insufficient funding, or staff shortages; and you could mention the social factors that impact the health service, such as the UK’s frail ageing population
• You need to be honest about the current poor performance of the the NHS; especially in hospital care, as measured by the main NHS key targets (e.g. 4h target, 12h trolley waits, 18 weeks, 31/6 2 day cancer targets). Know the hospital’s latest performance. You can assess this from recent minutes from board meetings (available online)
• Answer (example, if it’s a hospital job):

“As we are all aware, NHS hospitals are performing poorly against key NHS targets like the 18 week RTT target. And COVID-19 didn’t help. My role now, if appointed, is to help this department (and hospital) get back on track. I will do this to the best of my ability.”

5. What makes a good NHS clinician? (substitute doctor, nurse, AHP or any other health professional)

• Whatever NHS position you are applying for, you should be able to show you are aware of the qualities that make a good NHS clinician
• Whether you are going for an entry-level junior doctor/nurse/other role or a seasoned senior (e.g. consultant, GP partner or modern matron job), NHS staff of all levels must possess a certain set of professional and personal skills. These include 5 key areas:
  • Professionalism (= integrity, accountability, reliability, confidentiality)
  • Teamwork. The NHS is no place for loners
  • Compassion. If you are not naturally compassionate and caring, its OK. But you need to learn, especially by observing good colleagues
  • Time management. Do not be late for things. It’s unprofessional. In fact .. be early. Also, don’t expect to be paid extra for staying late, if required by your patients
  • Excellent communication.

When answering this question, be sure to mention some of these attributes. Answer (example):

“A good doctor/nurse/AHP has several good qualities. These include professionalism, teamwork, compassion and communication. Being on time is also pretty important” (gentle joke).

6. What is an example of when you have given a patient excellent care?

• NHS interviewers want to know that you’ve delivered excellent patient care in the past. Therefore, before you step through the door, you should have an answer ready
• Ideally, talk about a time when you faced a big challenge that required immediate action, and a well-thought-out plan
• For example, you could describe when you experienced a very upset patient and how you handled the situation with empathy and patience
• Answer (example):

“I remember a time when I looked after an aggressive woman with schizophrenia in her 30s, who said she wanted to die, and hitting out at staff. I was able to calm her down and sedate her, with the help of the nurses. This brought us time for seniors to arrive and help get a psychiatric assessment. She was sectioned but left hospital 3 weeks later in much better mental health. I was proud of myself for helping to sort her out.”

7. Where do you see yourself in five years time?

• This can often feel like a trick question, but it is important to be honest whilst still providing the answers your interviewers want to know. Questions you should ask yourself before answering this question are:
  • Do you have realistic expectations for your career?
  • Are you ambitious?
  • Does the position you are interviewing for align with your growth and goals overall?

When forming your answer to this question, think about where this job role could realistically take you, and then think about how that aligns with your professional goals.

Answer (example):

“I am really excited about this Clinical Fellow Paediatrics position because, in five years, I want to acclimatise to the NHS system and work in a supportive department. This should enable me to, in the future, either to complete my specialist registration via CESR or apply for a deanery training post. My long-term plan is to stay in the UK and hopefully become a consultant.”

8. What can you tell us about clinical governance? (or how have you been involved in clinical governance in previous jobs?)

• Clinical governance is a system that ensures all NHS organisations are always focused on improving the quality of care. It has several domains (that you should know) including audit
• The chances are you’ll get asked about this at some point in the interview, so research clinical governance beforehand
• It helps to consider when you’ve seen clinical governance in your work, such as audit or service development
• Answer (example);

“Clinical governance is a system practised widely across the NHS. It has X domains including ABC. Essentially it is about the duty of all NHS health professionals to ask themselves ‘are good enough in their role?’ – and how they and their department’s performance, compares to local and national standards.”

9. How would you deal with an aggressive patient?

• Remember, care and safety of all your patients should always be your primary focus. You need to state that
• Answer (example):

“My first priority is to protect other patients (as well as looking after the aggressive patient). I would deal with the patient with understanding and empathy. And I would that try to calm them down, before offering solutions to resolve the situation. If necessary, I would have no hesitation seeking assistance from colleagues.”

If the panel presses, you could add “if necessary I would call security and/or sedate the patient”.

10. Of your achievements, which one or two are you most proud of?

• You don’t have to answer this question with achievements you made at work – although that might be helpful. To answer this, think about a time you achieved something that really made you proud of yourself
• For example, you might have assisted a passer-by in the street when they required medical attention
• Perhaps you are most proud of a time when you exceeded expectations during medical training
• Try to be as specific as possible with your achievements – not just say ‘I’m quite good at physiology’.
• Answer (examples):

“The two achievements I’m most proud of are (firstly), passing the first stage of my postgraduate exam (e.g. MRCP) first time; and secondly, becoming a doctor/nurse in the first place, and watching my parents happiness at my graduation X months/years ago”.

Or

“I was at Sainsburys recently and someone was getting confused. I saw their wristband and ascertained they had diabetes, and I thought thought hypo (glycaemic). I took charge, comforted them, and gave them a sugary drink – whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Yes, I was proud of myself that day”.

Clinical and ethical scenarios

• Some questions above are slightly more involved, as they fall under clinical/ethical scenarios. More than likely, you’ll be asked about one at some point during your interview
• If it is an ethical question (where there is no right or wrong answer) its important to have an opinion and argue it, whilst recognising other peoples’ views – e.g. on euthanasia or termination of pregnancy
• In these cases, it’s crucial to talk through the steps you will take when handling a difficult ethical situation, explaining the reasons behind your action plan.

Conflict at work

• In group work settings, at some point, you will encounter conflict
• As someone who works for the general public, it is important that you mediate conflict quickly and efficiently (pointing it out to the panel that intra-work conflict can damage patients). You may asked to give an example of how you have mediated conflict so far in your career
• Answer (example):

“If I noticed a hostile environment between two colleagues, I would suggest they both meet privately with me. I would ask each to summarise the situation from their own viewpoint; and I would reinforce that this issue needs to be resolved through discussion and negotiation .. to the benefits of all our patients”

Tips on making a great impression

While your answers to the above questions are most important, there are some other things you can do to make an excellent impression:

Think about your body language

• It’s not just about the words you speak
• Body language plays a crucial role in the success of your interview
• Avoid crossing your arms or looking at the floor
• Instead, keep up good eye contact and hold a comfortable and open position
• Shake the interviewer’s hand if offered.

Provide clear answers

• Many candidates struggle to provide clear answers due to nerves. Don’t let that be you
• Instead, go over the most common questions beforehand and develop an answering structure to follow
• Being clear and concise with your answers will highlight your communication skills, whilst eliminating the chance of a misunderstanding
• Don’t ‘er and um’. If you need time, you can say “please can you repeat (or better rephrase) that question. I don’t quite understand it”.

Practice (practice, practice) the interview

• Before entering the interview room, practice interviewing with someone else (such as a work colleague) – more than once if possible
• Get them to ask you some of the most common NHS interview questions (like the ones above) and answer how you would in the interview
• You can then ask for feedback, which will allow you to hone your interview skills; ensuring you give your best interview on the actual day
• On top of all of these tips and examples you can read on to find further potential questions.

Other popular interview questions

What do you know about this organisation?

• This question is focused on the particular NHS trust (or whatever) you are interviewing for. Before attending the interview, conduct plenty of research into the organisation. Go there, talk to people
• The more you know, the better; that way, you’ll be able to provide a well-thought-out, rounded answer to this question.

Communication skills

• Are you a good communicator? What is evidence for that?
• How do you know you are a good communicator?
• How can you develop your skills further?
• Describe a time when you found it difficult to communicate with a colleague or patient. What did you do and how did you feel?

Note. Don’t show off, e.g. mention you have just returned from a skiing holiday, or place your posh car keys on the desk!

Problem solving and decision making

• Do you always know the right thing to do in any given situation?
• What is your strategy dealing with difficult problems at work?
• Describe a time when you felt you made the wrong decision. How did you feel and what has happened as a result?

Managing others and team involvement

• Describe a team you have led successfully
• Describe a time when you have supported a colleague with a work-related issue
• Outline a situation where you have had to motivate work colleagues to do something that they did not agree with, or want to do
• Which do you prefer, leading a team, or being a team member? (hint. be a leader!)

Empathy and sensitivity

• Why is it important for doctors to demonstrate empathy and sympathy? What is the difference between the two?
• Do you really need to show empathy to be a good doctor, or are clinical skills and knowledge more important? (mm .. you need both!)
• What is an example of when you have shown empathy to someone recently?

Organisation and planning

• Do you have a diary? How do you use it?
• How do you keep yourself organised at work?
• How do you cope when unexpected and unplanned work is added to your workload?

Coping with pressure

• How do you cope with pressure?
• What do you do when you can no longer cope with pressures of your workload?

Professional integrity

• Give an example of a clinical scenario where you made a mistake. What did you do about it?
• Is it ever justifiable to bend or break the rules at work? (‘only in exceptional circumstances when the patient is in danger’). An example could be if you need help from a consultant quickly and the oncall one is not contactable. You should contact any senior that can help you
• Have you ever done so? (needs to be a good one)

Underperforming colleague

• ‘My first priority are the patients under my care. Full stop’
• You may be talked through this situation. You need to very clear that if you need to report someone you would; and you would keep going up the ladder if you didn’t get the appropriate response
• But (usually) you need to start slowly by asking to talk to them one to one; and asking them if they feel they have a problem, and whether they want help. Ask them if they have problems at the moment outside work
• Write down all stages of this process. You may forget in a years time
• If the colleague is really dangerous, they should be removed from the workplace.

Clinical knowledge and skills

• Describe a difficult clinical scenario you have been involved in, when your knowledge and/or skills were insufficient. How did you contribute?
• Don’t be afraid to give the panel an example of a case where things went wrong, and what you learnt from it
• You may be asked a range of questions about particular clinical scenarios relevant to your specialty

Research and audit

• ‘What research experience do you have?’ or ‘Why is research important?’
• Describe your last audit
• Which is more important – research or teaching? Which do you prefer, and why?

Teaching

• ‘What teaching experience do you have?’ or ‘Why is teaching important?’
• If you like teaching say so. A good phrase is “I really enjoy teaching”. Then give examples of teaching you have done.

Note. The word ‘doctor’ is Latin for teacher not clinician. If you don’t teach, are you a doctor?

Weaknesses

• ‘What is your biggest weakness?’ is a common and difficult question
• Many people give a glib answer like ‘I work so hard that I find it hard to find time for myself’
• You need a better more personalised one, that turns a weakness into a strength (e.g. saying you are very organised).

Other questions

• Why do you want to work in this specialty? What is it about paediatrics (for example) that you like?
• What do you most want from your career in the NHS?
• Left field questions include: ‘what are your hobbies?’ (expect to be quizzed about whatever you say); or, ‘what was the last book you read?’ (then ‘tell me about it’}
• We are interviewing many high calibre candidates today, why should we appoint you?

Summary

• Preparation is key to success in an NHS interview. Whilst the specific questions may vary depending on the position and hospital, there are common questions that you can anticipate and prepare for
• By familiarising yourself with the organisation and its core values, understanding the challenges faced by the NHS at the moment (nationally), and demonstrating your commitment to providing excellent patient care, you can impress the interviewers
• It is also important to be knowledgeable about clinical governance and ethical scenarios, showcasing your ability to make sound decisions in challenging situations
• Remember to practice your answers, maintain positive body language, and provide clear and concise responses during the interview
• By following these tips, you can increase your chances of making a great impression and securing your desired NHS job.

Other resources

Other NHS interview questions and answers