- Q1. Tell me about yourself and why you want to work for the NHS in this Band 3 role? …
- Q2A. How do your skills and qualities meet the job description of this NHS Band 3 position? ( …
- Q2B. How do your skills and qualities meet the job description of this NHS Band 3 position? (
Top 10 NHS Interview Questions
This question may also be phrased as “Why do you want to work for the NHS?” or “Why do you want to work here?”. Its designed to establish your motivations for choosing the NHS in particular, your understanding of its culture and ideals, and how well you’ll fit into the organisation.
When forming your answer, as well as describing what you will gain from the role, also refer to what you intend to bring to the service in return.
Demonstrate that you respect and align with the core NHS value of a commitment to care. Show you have the desire to work in a highly challenging environment and are dedicated to continued professional development, to raise standards of service delivery.
Example answer:
Tell Me About the Core Values of the NHS
Regardless of the role for which you are applying, this is one of the most important NHS interview questions, as the organisation takes a strong values-based approach to recruitment.
Ensure you are familiar with and can express commitment to the following six principles:
- Commitment to quality of care – This focuses on the building of trust and a pledge to continued safety, accountability, integrity and improvement.
- Working together for patients – This emphasises internal and external collaboration for the good of patients, over and above any organisational needs.
- Compassion – This centres on a proactive approach to patient care, treating all with kindness and taking every step to relieve suffering.
- Respect and dignity – This refers to a culture of openness, honesty and respect for all who come into contact with the NHS.
- Everyone counts – This revolves around the fair allocation of resources and caring for those most in need, regardless of circumstances.
- Improving lives – This underpins the very purpose of the NHS, its commitment to excellence and the improvement of patient health and well-being.
To prepare, try to think of a few examples of when you have demonstrated each of these six principles in your work or personal life.
What Are the Current Challenges Facing the NHS?
As far as NHS job interview questions and answers go, this is perhaps the most telling when it comes to your understanding of the inner workings of the NHS, the realities and challenges of the role you are applying for, the future of public health and how external factors impact on the organisation’s ability to deliver.
The best response to this question will be timely and based on current affairs. Funding, staff shortages, rates of pay, working conditions and the allocation of resources are all challenges for the NHS. You must be up to speed on the particulars of each at the time of interview.
Beyond financial and political challenges, there are also many social factors affecting the NHS, such as an ageing population and the impact of poor lifestyle choices, including the rise of diseases like diabetes and obesity.
Proving that you have a sound knowledge of how external factors continue to present new challenges will show that you appreciate the service as a whole, and are not solely focused on your role within it.
What Qualities Make a Good NHS Employee?
As stated, the NHS takes a value-based approach to recruitment. It looks for staff that support its ideals, and work to its moral and professional standards.
Of course, role-specific skills and experience are important, but if you’re at interview stage, it has likely been determined that you hold these.
Instead, focus your answer on the qualities that the six core values of the NHS demand:
- Integrity and accountability – To ensure patient confidentiality, learn from mistakes and work towards continuous improvement
- Flexibility and time management – To meet ever-changing demands and respond effectively in a challenging environment
- Kindness, compassion and patience – To provide the highest standards of patient care and to take an empathetic approach to the treatment of family, friends and carers
- Teamwork and communication – To work as part of a healthcare network that includes multiple departments and external organisations
- Passion and commitment – To uphold the standards of the NHS and go the extra mile to improve the lives of others
You may also be asked NHS competency-based interview questions, which will require you to describe situations where you have demonstrated these qualities in action.
What Can You Tell Me About How the NHS Operates?
This NHS interview question requires in-depth research. You should be able to demonstrate a good understanding of primary and secondary care, and the roles of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), NHS trusts and foundation trusts.
You should also take the time to familiarise yourself with the NHS Long Term Plan, a document published in 2019 that outlines priorities and goals for the next 10 years.
Also note that there are structural differences across the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so you’ll need to thoroughly research the particulars of your area and understand how they relate to the wider framework.
If you have any contacts already working within the NHS, ask them for guidance to help develop your understanding of its operations.
It’s also vital that you’re familiar with the workings of your own chosen department, and the role it plays in the service as a whole.
A patient complains about the care you’ve provided them. What would you do?
Ensure the interviewers that you take each feedback seriously, and will patiently listen to every complaint, and try to improve your services for the next time. You can also say that you will always stay polite, never getting into argument with the patient–even if they were wrong and unjust.
You can even show some empathy, saying that you understand the emotional and physical strain people experience in an office of a doctor/in a hospital, and therefor you would not take their bad words personally…
How do you deal with pressure?
You may work in a busy medical practice. Some days there won’t be any time to ease a bit, to relax, to smoke a cigarette or have a cup of tea. One patient will go in after another, and you will simply have to deal with that.
Tell the interviewers that you know what will be expected from you in job, and do not count with an easy ride.
You can say that in difficult moments you always remind yourself the meaningful purpose of your job, why you do what you do. You can even say that you work better under pressure, or that you are naturally stress resistant, and manage to stay relatively calm even in the most trying circumstances.
Imagine that you struggle to communicate something to the patient. They simply do not understand your words. What will you do to get your message over?
They test mostly your attitude with the question. Show them that you are ready to go above and beyond for the patient. Understanding is crucial in healthcare, since any misunderstanding of your instructions can have serious effects on patient’s health.
You can say that you will use the most simple language, or even pictures and demonstration, to help the patient understand. You can also stress how crucial it is to get your message over, and that you will always try all possible means of doing that…
Some other questions you may get in your NHS interview
- How do you imagine a typical day in this job?
- How would your best friend describe you?
- What did you like the most about your last job, and what did you hate the most about it?
- Where do you see yourself in five years time?
- Describe a situation when you had to motivate someone in work.
- You feel sick in work, but there are twenty people in the waiting room, who are also sick and rely on your help. What will you do?
- Why should we hire you, and not someone else for this particular position?
Why do you want to work in the NHS?
- Refer to the NHS values when answering this question. Ideally, you should do this for all the NHS interview questions and answers.
- Explain how PATIENT CARE is something you are extremely passionate about.
- Tell the panel you often hear people praising the NHS staff for the tireless work they do, and that you want to be part of that team.
“I have set my sights on this role within the NHS for some time now and have thoroughly researched the organisation and the role to make sure I can perform to the high standards required.
I believe I can strive to achieve the NHS values and standards it sets itself and I am extremely passionate about patient care. There are many different roles within the NHS, and I feel my job would be to help the wider team achieve the goals that the NHS sets itself.
Despite the NHS often coming under pressure from external factors, I have heard nothing but great things about the staff, the organisation as a whole, and the tireless work everyone continues to carry out for its patients.
I enjoy working in a challenging environment and feel strongly I can cope with the pressures of the role. I believe that, if I am given the opportunity to work within the NHS in this role, you will be pleased with my performance and contribution to the organisation as a whole.”
FAQ
How do I pass a Band 3 interview?
- What Appeals to You About Working in the NHS? …
- Tell Me About the Core Values of the NHS. …
- What Are the Current Challenges Facing the NHS? …
- What Qualities Make a Good NHS Employee? …
- What Can You Tell Me About How the NHS Operates?
What questions will I be asked in an NHS interview?
- Make eye contact with all members of the interview panel. …
- Smile! …
- Be clear and concise in your responses.
- Structure your answers with 3 or 4 main points of examples from your own experience.
- Do not assume that the panel know the detail of what is in your application form or CV.
How do I ace the NHS interview?
Why do you want to work for the NHS interview question answer?
