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NHS Scenario Interview Questions: How to Answer "What Would You Do If"

A reusable framework for NHS "what would you do if" scenario questions, applied to complaints, unsafe staffing, confidentiality, impaired colleagues and deteriorating patients.

Last updated 24 October 2026 · Created by a practising NHS doctor · Independent of the NHS

Quick answer

How do you answer "what would you do if" scenario questions in an NHS interview?

Use a simple sequence: make the situation safe, gather the facts, communicate calmly with those involved, escalate to the right person and follow local policy, then document and reflect. Stay within your role and band, put patients first and avoid quoting clinical details or laws you are unsure of. Add a short real example where you can to show your approach works in practice.

Key takeaways

  • Start with immediate safety for patients and others.
  • Gather facts before acting or judging.
  • Escalate early and follow local policy.
  • Stay within your role, band and competence.
  • Finish with documentation and reflection.

To answer NHS scenario questions, show that you would make the situation safe first, gather the facts, communicate calmly with the people involved, escalate to the right person and follow local policy, then document and reflect. Panels are not looking for one perfect answer. They want to see safe, honest judgement, an understanding of your limits and a clear focus on patients.

This guide gives you a simple five-step framework you can reuse for almost any "what would you do if" question, then applies it to the scenarios that come up most often across nursing, allied health, support, admin and medical roles. Everything here stays at principle level. Policies and legal frameworks differ between trusts and across the four UK nations, so always say you would follow local policy.

 

In this guide

  • What are scenario questions in an NHS interview?
  • Is there a framework for answering "what would you do if" questions?
  • What would you do if a patient or relative made a complaint?
  • What would you do if the ward or service was unsafely staffed?
  • What would you do if you saw a breach of patient confidentiality?
  • What would you do if a colleague smelled of alcohol at work?
  • What would you do if a patient was deteriorating?
  • Worked STAR example: a scenario linked to real experience
  • Practice scenario questions for NHS interviews
  • Common mistakes with scenario questions
  • How to prepare for NHS scenario questions

 

What are scenario questions in an NHS interview?

Scenario questions describe a hypothetical situation and ask how you would respond, for example "what would you do if a patient's relative made a complaint to you?" They test judgement, values and knowledge of safe practice rather than memory.

They differ from competency questions, which ask about something you have actually done. With a scenario question you describe your approach, then you can strengthen it by adding a short real example if you have one. Panels often add follow-ups such as "and if that did not work?", so think a step or two ahead.

 

Is there a framework for answering "what would you do if" questions?

Yes. A simple five-step approach works for most scenarios and stops you missing key points under pressure. You do not need to name the steps aloud, but working through them in order keeps your answer structured.

  • 1. Make it safe: deal with any immediate risk to the patient, others or yourself first.
  • 2. Gather the facts: find out what is happening without jumping to conclusions.
  • 3. Communicate: speak calmly and privately with the people involved, listen and be honest.
  • 4. Escalate and follow policy: involve the nurse in charge, your manager or the right specialist team, and follow local policy within your scope.
  • 5. Record and reflect: document clearly, complete an incident report if needed, and consider what could be learned.

 

What would you do if a patient or relative made a complaint?

Listen without interrupting, acknowledge their feelings, apologise that they have had a poor experience, and try to resolve the issue there and then if you can. If you cannot, explain how the complaint will be passed on and who will follow it up.

Mention that you would inform the person in charge, record the conversation, and signpost to the local patient advice or complaints service if they want to take it further. In England this is often the Patient Advice and Liaison Service, and other UK nations have their own arrangements. Avoid becoming defensive or blaming colleagues.

 

What would you do if the ward or service was unsafely staffed?

Raise it promptly with the nurse in charge or duty manager, follow the trust's staffing escalation process, and prioritise care so that the most urgent needs are met safely. Record the concern, usually through the incident reporting system.

Panels like to hear that you would work as a team, delegate appropriately, avoid taking on tasks outside your competence and keep patients informed. Band 6 and above candidates should also mention reviewing skill mix, moving staff where safe and escalating beyond the ward when needed.

 

What would you do if you saw a breach of patient confidentiality?

Act quickly to contain the breach if you safely can, for example by logging off an unattended screen or retrieving a lost handover sheet, then report it to the person in charge and through the incident reporting system so it can be managed under local information governance policy.

If a colleague caused the breach, speak to them respectfully and explain the concern, but still report it. Confidentiality rules apply to all staff, including admin, porters and volunteers, so this question comes up across many roles.

 

What would you do if a colleague smelled of alcohol at work?

Patient safety comes first, so make sure the colleague is not left to provide care while you raise the concern. Speak to them privately and with compassion if appropriate, and inform the nurse in charge or your manager straight away so they can follow the trust's policy.

Show that you would not cover for them or ignore it, but also that you would not confront them in front of patients or make assumptions. There may be a health or personal issue behind it, and support services exist for staff. Document the facts of what you observed.

 

What would you do if a patient was deteriorating?

Stay with the patient, call for help, use a structured assessment such as ABCDE where it is within your role, and escalate promptly using the local early warning system and a structured handover such as SBAR. Follow the trust's deterioration and emergency policies.

For non-clinical roles, the answer is simpler: raise the alarm, get a registered clinician immediately and follow instructions. Do not quote thresholds or treatments unless you are sure they apply. Panels value prompt escalation far more than detailed clinical knowledge at interview.

 

Worked STAR example: a scenario linked to real experience

Where you can, back up your approach with a real example. Here is an illustrative answer from a healthcare assistant asked what they would do if a patient's condition changed.

 

Example answer: noticing deterioration (healthcare assistant)

Situation: On an older people's ward, I was doing afternoon observations and noticed a patient who had been chatty that morning was now drowsy and confused, and her breathing seemed faster.

Task: I needed to make sure a registered nurse knew straight away and the patient was safe.

Action: I stayed with her, pressed the call bell and asked a colleague to fetch the nurse looking after her. I repeated her observations and recorded them on the chart. When the nurse arrived, I gave a short handover of what I had noticed and how she had been earlier, then helped while the nurse assessed her and escalated to the doctor.

Result: The patient was reviewed quickly and treatment started. The nurse thanked me for noticing the change from the morning.

Reflection: I learned that small changes matter and that it is always better to raise a concern early.

 

Practice scenario questions for NHS interviews

  • What would you do if a relative became angry with you on the phone?
  • What would you do if you made a medication or administrative error?
  • What would you do if you thought a colleague was unsafe to work?
  • What would you do if you saw a colleague being rude to a patient?
  • What would you do if a patient told you they were being harmed at home?
  • What would you do if a patient wanted to leave against medical advice?
  • What would you do if you were asked to do something outside your competence?
  • What would you do if a relative asked for information the patient had not agreed to share?
  • What would you do if you could not finish all your tasks before the end of your shift?
  • What would you do if a patient refused care?
  • What would you do if you disagreed with a senior colleague's decision about a patient?

 

Common mistakes with scenario questions

  • Forgetting immediate safety. Start with what keeps the patient and others safe right now.
  • Trying to fix everything alone. Panels want to hear you escalate and use the team.
  • Acting outside your role. Know what your band and profession can and cannot do.
  • Quoting clinical details or laws you are unsure of. Describe principles and say you would follow local policy.
  • Leaving out documentation. Mention recording and incident reporting where relevant.
  • Giving a one-line answer. Walk the panel through your thinking step by step.

 

How to prepare for NHS scenario questions

Learn the five-step framework, then practise applying it aloud to the scenarios above until it feels natural. Read the job description to understand your scope, and look up the trust's values and key policies on raising concerns, safeguarding and incident reporting where they are public.

Talk scenarios through with a practice educator, mentor, line manager or colleague, and use NHS Jobs interview advice, careers services and union or professional body resources such as the RCN, Unison or the BMA. Healthcare Interview Prep is a self-study option with original scenario and values practice questions and written model answers for 471 NHS roles, with the first 8 free per role. It is not coaching, so pair it with spoken practice.

 

Frequently asked questions

How do I answer a scenario question if I don't know the right answer?

Fall back on safe principles. Say you would make the situation safe, gather information, seek advice from the person in charge or a senior colleague, and follow local policy. Panels respect candidates who know their limits and escalate appropriately far more than those who guess. It is fine to say you would check a policy or ask for guidance before acting.

Should I use STAR for scenario questions?

STAR is designed for questions about past experience, so for a hypothetical scenario start with your step by step approach instead. You can then strengthen your answer by adding a brief real example in STAR form, such as "I had a similar situation on placement". This shows the panel that your approach is not just theory but something you have actually done.

Are scenario questions the same for every NHS role?

The themes are similar, such as safety, complaints, confidentiality, teamwork and raising concerns, but the expected response depends on your role and band. A healthcare assistant or administrator would usually raise the alarm and escalate, while a registered professional would also assess and act within their scope. Senior roles are expected to coordinate, support staff and escalate beyond the team.

What is the most important thing to mention in a scenario answer?

Patient safety is usually the most important point, followed closely by escalation. Show that you would deal with any immediate risk, then involve the right person, such as the nurse in charge, a manager or a specialist team. Mentioning that you would follow local policy and document what happened rounds off most answers well.

How long should a scenario interview answer be?

Around one and a half to two and a half minutes is usually enough. Work through your steps in order, give a little detail at each stage and, if relevant, add a short real example. Watch the panel for cues. If they want more on a particular point, they will usually ask a follow-up question, so you do not need to cover every possibility.

 

Practice question banks for related NHS roles

 

Practise with NHS interview questions for your role

Each NHS role on this site has 40 original practice questions with full model answers. The first 8 are free to read, and the rest of a role's bank costs £4.99 with 12 months' access and no subscription.

 

More NHS interview guides

 

Healthcare Interview Prep is an independent NHS interview preparation website. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the NHS. Example questions and answers are original practice material, not official or leaked interview questions.

Healthcare Interview Prep: practice questions and model answers for 471 NHS roles across 11 sectors, created by a practising NHS doctor.

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