Most NHS interview questions test two things: whether your values match the six values in the NHS Constitution, and whether you meet the person specification for the role. Expect "tell me about a time" questions on putting patients first, compassion, respect, teamwork and quality, plus role-specific questions, and answer each with a real example that shows what you did and why it mattered to the patient or service user.
This guide covers the NHS values, how values-based recruitment works, practice questions for each value, example answers we wrote, and how the band you are applying for changes what to emphasise. It applies to NHS roles in England; NHS bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and many individual trusts, publish their own values too, so check the advert.
What are the NHS values?
The NHS Constitution for England (last updated 17 August 2023) sets out six values. In summary:
- Working together for patients: patients come first, and staff work across organisational boundaries to meet their needs.
- Respect and dignity: each person is treated as an individual, their views are taken seriously, and staff are honest about what they can and cannot do.
- Commitment to quality of care: getting safety, effectiveness and patient experience right, and using feedback to improve.
- Compassion: responding with kindness to people's distress and finding ways, however small, to help, without waiting to be asked.
- Improving lives: improving health, wellbeing and people's experiences, valuing everyday excellence as well as clinical practice.
- Everyone counts: using resources for the whole community and making sure nobody is excluded, discriminated against or left behind.
What is values-based recruitment in the NHS?
NHS Employers describes values-based recruitment as an approach that helps employers find people whose personal values match the organisation's, aligned with the NHS Constitution. Its guidance (dated 23 May 2024) lists three types of method: initial screening, values-based interviewing techniques such as role plays and written responses to scenarios, and assessment centre formats.
In practice that means your application, your interview answers and any scenario tasks are all read against the same values. Many trusts also have their own short value statements on their websites, which usually map back to the Constitution. Read both before the interview.
NHS interview questions mapped to each value
These are practice questions we wrote, not questions from any particular trust. The right-hand column shows what a strong answer usually demonstrates.
| NHS value | Practice question (ours) | What a strong answer shows |
|---|---|---|
| Working together for patients | "Tell me about a time you worked with another team to sort out a problem for a patient or customer." | You looked beyond your own task and coordinated with others |
| Respect and dignity | "Describe a time you had to tell someone something they didn't want to hear." | Honesty, privacy and treating the person as an individual |
| Commitment to quality of care | "Tell me about a time you noticed something wasn't safe or right. What did you do?" | You raised a concern through the right route and followed up |
| Compassion | "Give an example of when you helped someone who was distressed." | Kindness in action, without being asked |
| Improving lives | "What's one change you made that improved someone's experience?" | Initiative and a measurable improvement |
| Everyone counts | "Tell me about a time you made sure someone wasn't left out." | Inclusion and adapting to different needs |
Expect role-specific questions too: clinical scenarios for clinical posts, system and data questions for admin and digital posts, and common openers such as "Why the NHS?" and "Why this trust?". For nursing-specific questions, see our nursing interview questions guide.
Example answers to NHS values questions
These are example answers we wrote to show structure. Replace every detail with your own experience.
Compassion: "Give an example of when you helped someone who was distressed."
"I was working on the front desk of an outpatient clinic when an elderly man arrived very upset because his appointment letter had the wrong date and his daughter had taken a day off to bring him. I took them to a quiet seat, apologised, and checked the system. The clinic was running behind but had a cancellation later that morning, so I spoke to the nurse in charge, who agreed to see him. I kept them updated every half hour. He was seen that day, and I reported the letter error so the booking team could check for others. Three other patients had the same mistake and were contacted before their dates."
Commitment to quality of care: "Tell me about a time you noticed something wasn't right."
"On a ward placement I noticed the hand gel dispenser at the bay entrance had been empty for two shifts. I refilled it from stores, but I also told the nurse in charge, because it suggested the checking routine had a gap. She added it to the daily checklist. It was a small thing, but infection control depends on small things being done every time."
Both answers follow STAR: a short situation, your action, the result and what changed afterwards. See our STAR examples for more structures.
How does the band change what NHS interviewers look for?
Most NHS staff in England are paid under Agenda for Change, a single pay structure for NHS staff apart from doctors, dentists and very senior managers. NHS Employers published the 2026/27 pay scales on 12 February 2026, effective from 1 April 2026. The pay figures below come from that page; the "what to emphasise" column is our guidance, not an NHS rule.
| Band | Annual pay 2026/27 (England) | What to emphasise in the interview (our guidance) |
|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | Values, reliability, kindness and following procedures |
| Band 3 | £25,760 to £27,476 | Values plus organisation and dealing with people under pressure |
| Band 4 | £28,392 to £31,157 | Working with more independence and supporting colleagues |
| Band 5 | £32,073 to £39,043 | Professional judgement, prioritising and escalating concerns |
| Band 6 | £39,959 to £48,117 | Supervising others, delegation and improving practice |
| Band 7 | £49,387 to £56,515 | Leading a team or service, quality improvement and managing performance |
Your examples should match the level: a band 7 answer about quality should show you leading a change across a team, not only spotting a problem yourself.
How to prepare for an NHS interview
- Read the advert pack. The job description and person specification on NHS Jobs tell you what will be scored.
- Read the trust's values and recent news. Check its website and latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection report, and be ready to say why you want to work there.
- Prepare eight to ten stories. Map each to one or two NHS values and to the essential criteria. The free STAR story builder helps you shape them.
- Be ready for more than one interviewer. If the invitation mentions a panel, see our guide to panel interviews.
- Practise out loud. CoPilot Interview's Mock Interview builds questions from your CV and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10 with what to fix and a model answer. The free plan gives you 15 minutes a day with no account, and the browser AI mock interview has a behavioural track with nothing to install.
- Prepare your questions. Ask about induction, supervision, training and how the team measures quality. Our list of questions to ask the interviewer has more.
If you are moving to the UK for an NHS job, read our guide to visa sponsorship interview questions in the UK. For general UK interview norms, start with our job interview tips for the UK.
Rehearse your NHS values answers
Answer behavioural questions out loud and get each answer scored out of 10, with what to tighten and a model answer. Free, in your browser, nothing to install.
Try a free AI mock interviewFAQ
What are the six NHS values?
The NHS Constitution for England lists six values: working together for patients; respect and dignity; commitment to quality of care; compassion; improving lives; and everyone counts.
What is a values-based interview in the NHS?
An interview where questions are designed to show whether your personal values match the NHS Constitution and the employing organisation. NHS Employers lists values-based interviewing techniques such as role plays and written responses to scenarios.
How many questions are in an NHS interview?
It varies by trust and role, and the NHS does not set a fixed number. Prepare eight to ten examples that cover the six values and the essential criteria in the person specification.
How should I answer "Why do you want to work for the NHS?"
Link one NHS value to a specific experience of your own, then say why this trust and this team appeal to you. Avoid general answers about the NHS being a good employer.
How much does a band 5 NHS job pay in 2026/27?
In England, band 5 runs from £32,073 to £39,043 a year under the 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay scales published by NHS Employers, effective from 1 April 2026.
Do NHS interviews use the STAR method?
STAR works well for most NHS values and competency questions, because interviewers want to hear what you did and what happened as a result. Keep the situation short and spend most of the answer on your actions.