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Healthcare Interview Prep

NHS INTERVIEW PREPARATION

NHS INTERVIEW GUIDE

Speech and Language Therapist Interview Questions: Band 5 and 6 Guide

The question themes NHS speech and language therapy panels use in adult and paediatric posts at Band 5 and Band 6, and how to answer case scenarios safely.

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

Quick answer

What questions are asked in an NHS speech and language therapist interview?

Expect questions on why you chose SLT and the service, a case scenario, assessing swallowing and communication in adults or speech and language in children, working with families, schools and the MDT, prioritising referrals, consent and capacity, safeguarding and HCPC standards. Panels want safe, structured reasoning and clear communication. Band 6 interviews add specialist reasoning, supervision, training others and service improvement.

Key takeaways

  • Practise a case scenario out loud with reading time
  • Gather history and assess before suggesting therapy
  • Involve families, carers, schools and the MDT
  • Keep dysphagia answers within competencies and local policy
  • Band 6 adds supervision, training and improvement

NHS speech and language therapy interviews usually ask why you chose SLT and the service, then explore case scenarios on communication and swallowing (dysphagia) in adult posts, or speech, language and communication needs in paediatric posts. Expect questions on working with families and the MDT, prioritising referrals, consent, safeguarding, HCPC standards and reflection. Band 6 panels add specialist reasoning, supervision and service improvement.

This guide covers the common themes with practice questions, how to approach adult and paediatric scenarios, a worked STAR answer, preparation tips and mistakes to avoid. The questions are practice themes, not real interview questions, and clinical points stay at principle level, so always follow local policy and your competencies.

 

In this guide

  • What questions are asked in a Band 5 speech and language therapist interview?
  • How do you answer an SLT case scenario in an interview?
  • Worked STAR answer: supporting a family to carry over therapy
  • How do I prepare for a speech and language therapy interview?
  • What do they ask in a Band 6 SLT interview?
  • Common mistakes in SLT interviews

 

What questions are asked in a Band 5 speech and language therapist interview?

Most Band 5 SLT interviews combine motivation and values questions with a case scenario, often presented on paper or read out, plus questions on teamwork, prioritising and professional standards. Newly qualified posts often include a mix of adult and paediatric work, or a rotation, so check the advert.

Many interviews start with a case and ask how you would assess it, what you would prioritise and who you would involve. Use these practice questions to plan your examples.

  • Why SLT and this service: What drew you to speech and language therapy, and to this post?
  • Case scenario: Here is a referral. What information would you gather, and what would you do first?
  • Adult dysphagia: How would you approach a swallowing assessment for a patient on a stroke ward?
  • Eating and drinking with risk: A patient wants to keep eating a normal diet despite your recommendations. What do you do?
  • Adult communication: How would you support someone with aphasia to take part in decisions about their care?
  • Paediatric assessment: A parent is worried their three-year-old is not talking much. How would you begin?
  • Working with schools and families: How would you help a teacher support a child's language targets in class?
  • Prioritising referrals: You have a waiting list and several new referrals. How do you decide who is seen first?
  • Explaining SLT: How would you explain your role to a family who has never met a speech and language therapist?
  • Safeguarding: What would you do if a child disclosed something worrying during a session?
  • Reflection and CPD: Tell us about feedback that changed how you work.
  • Band 6 extras: How would you supervise a student, and what would you change about this service?

 

How do you answer an SLT case scenario in an interview?

Answer an SLT case scenario by gathering information first, identifying the main risks and priorities, planning assessment with the person and the people around them, working within your competence and escalating or seeking support where needed. Panels want to hear your reasoning, not a perfect diagnosis.

Think aloud and keep it safe: what you would read, who you would speak to, what would concern you, and how you would document and review.

  • Adult dysphagia: read the notes, check the patient's alertness, positioning and medical status with the nurse, then carry out a bedside assessment in line with your competencies and local policy. Use the texture descriptors your service follows, and seek senior or instrumental assessment if you are unsure or the picture changes.
  • Eating and drinking with acknowledged risk: explain the risks in a way the person can understand, explore what matters to them, and involve the MDT and family. If capacity is in doubt, follow the relevant capacity law and local policy, which in England and Wales is the Mental Capacity Act. Frameworks differ across the UK nations. Record the discussion carefully.
  • Aphasia and decisions: use supported communication, such as written keywords, pictures and extra time, so the person can share their views.
  • Paediatric referral: take a full case history from parents, ask about hearing, play, attention and home languages, observe the child and assess in a play-based way. Set functional targets with the family and setting.
  • Safeguarding: listen, do not promise secrecy, record the child's words factually and report through your organisation's safeguarding procedure straight away.

 

Worked STAR answer: supporting a family to carry over therapy

Working with families and carers comes up in most SLT interviews, adult and paediatric. Use this structure with your own real placement or work example.

 

Example answer: improving carry-over at home (Band 5 paediatric SLT)

Situation: On a community paediatric placement, I was working with a four-year-old with delayed expressive language. After several sessions, progress had stalled, and his mum said she did not have time for the home activities.

Task: I needed to find a way to make therapy fit into family life, as practice between sessions was key to progress.

Action: I asked mum about a typical day and found that bath time and the walk to nursery were routine moments they shared. With my supervisor's agreement, I replaced the worksheet with two short strategies built into those routines: modelling words and offering choices. I demonstrated them in clinic, asked her to try them while I gave feedback, and sent a one-page visual reminder home. I also shared the targets with his nursery key worker.

Result: Over the next block of sessions, mum reported using the strategies most days, and his use of new words at nursery increased according to the key worker's notes.

Reflection: I learned that therapy only works if it fits the family's real life. I now ask about routines at the start rather than after progress stalls.

 

How do I prepare for a speech and language therapy interview?

Prepare by revising core assessment principles for the client group, building real examples against the person specification, and practising a case scenario out loud. Read about the service, including its client groups, settings and any published developments.

  • Example bank: six to eight examples on teamwork, working with families, prioritising, a mistake, a difficult conversation and an intervention you are proud of.
  • Core principles: for adult posts, dysphagia, aphasia, dysarthria and decision making; for paediatric posts, speech sound work, language delay, autism and working with education.
  • Professional standards: review the HCPC standards and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' guidance, and link one to a real example.
  • Practise a timed case: some services give you reading time, so practise structuring your thoughts quickly.
  • Get support: practice educators, peers, university careers services, RCSLT student and newly qualified resources, unions and NHS Jobs interview advice can all help.
  • Self-study practice: Healthcare Interview Prep offers original SLT practice questions with written model answers, first 8 free. It is a self-study resource, not live coaching or mock interviews.

 

What do they ask in a Band 6 SLT interview?

Band 6 SLT interviews expect specialist reasoning in the client group, managing a complex caseload with some independence, supervising students or Band 5 colleagues, training others such as care staff or teachers, and an example of service improvement or audit. A presentation is more likely at this level, so read the invitation carefully.

 

Common mistakes in SLT interviews

  • Jumping straight to therapy without gathering a case history or assessing.
  • Ignoring the family, carers or MDT in a scenario answer.
  • Giving precise clinical detail you are not sure of, rather than following competencies and local policy.
  • Forgetting capacity, consent or safeguarding where the scenario raises them.
  • Only preparing adult or paediatric examples when the post covers both.
  • Using jargon you would never use with a family.
  • No clear reflection showing what you learned.

 

Frequently asked questions

What questions are asked in a Band 5 speech and language therapy interview?

Many Band 5 SLT interviews include why you chose SLT and the service, a case scenario, how you would assess swallowing or communication, working with families, schools and the MDT, prioritising referrals, consent and capacity, safeguarding, HCPC standards and reflection. The mix depends on whether the post is adult, paediatric or mixed, so read the advert and person specification carefully before preparing.

Do SLT interviews include a case study?

Often, yes. Many services give a short written referral or case and ask how you would assess it, what you would prioritise and who you would involve. Some give reading time before the interview. Panels want to see safe, structured reasoning rather than a perfect answer. Practise thinking aloud with a peer or practice educator so you feel comfortable structuring a response under time pressure.

How do I answer dysphagia questions as a newly qualified SLT?

Focus on safe principles. Explain that you would read the notes, check the patient's alertness, positioning and medical status, carry out an assessment within your competencies, follow local policy and the texture framework your service uses, and seek senior support or instrumental assessment if unsure. Mention involving the patient, family and MDT and documenting clearly. Panels expect you to know your limits.

What is the difference between adult and paediatric SLT interviews?

Adult interviews often focus on dysphagia, acquired communication disorders, capacity and working on wards or in the community. Paediatric interviews focus on speech, language and communication needs, working with parents and schools, play-based assessment and safeguarding children. Both ask about teamwork, prioritising and professional standards. If the post is mixed, prepare at least one example for each client group.

How should I explain my role in an SLT interview?

Use plain words. Explain that speech and language therapists support people with communication difficulties and, in many settings, eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties, working closely with families and other professionals. Then add a brief real example of how your input helped someone. Panels often ask this to check you can explain your role to patients and families clearly and warmly.

 

Practice question banks for related NHS roles

 

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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.

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