Communication: NHS Interview Questions
Communicating effectively in any form — listening to understand what others mean, getting your own message across clearly, and building effective working relationships.
Bands 1–4 (Level 1)
- How do you know when family, patients, relatives or colleagues have actually understood you?
- Talk me through a time you dealt with someone who was angry or confrontational.
- Tell me about a time you worked with someone you found difficult to deal with.
- Give an example of how you share what you know to help other people.
Band 5 (Level 2)
- Tell me about a time you had to summarise something complex for a patient, relative or colleague.
- Describe a situation you could have handled better with clearer communication.
- Talk me through a time your communication changed the outcome of a situation.
- Give an example of how you pass on your knowledge to help others.
Bands 6–7 (Level 3)
- Tell me about a time your communication skills defused a difficult or confrontational situation.
- Describe a time you had to win someone round when they were convinced you were wrong.
- Looking back, when could you have communicated more effectively, and what would you change?
- Tell me about an important message you had to deliver to a group of your team.
Bands 8–9 (Level 4)
- Give an example of when you adapted your communication style to get your message across.
- Describe a time you encouraged a negative or reluctant person to contribute positively.
- Tell me about a time your communication was crucial to an important organisational outcome.
- Tell me about a time you struggled to win the confidence of a team member.
What good answers contain
Listen for a willingness to listen first and check they have understood, an awareness of the other person's perspective and how they are reacting, and a clear sense of the candidate's own contribution and the difference it made.
Signs of a weak answer
Watch for answers that are vague or easily misread, examples where the audience clearly didn't fully understand, little effort to build rapport, or a style that comes across as one-way and dictatorial rather than collaborative.
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