Midwifery Interview Questions & Answers

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About this NHS interview question bank

To prepare for a midwifery NHS interview, expect questions on informed choice and consent, personalised care, obstetric emergencies such as postpartum haemorrhage and shoulder dystocia, fetal monitoring and escalation, safeguarding unborn babies, perinatal mental health and what you have learned from national maternity safety reviews. Build short spoken answers around real moments from your placements or practice, and know the NMC Code, the NMC Standards of proficiency for midwives and the NHS values before you walk in.

This bank contains 40 original practice questions with first-person model answers written for midwives applying for newly qualified Band 5 and rotational Band 6 posts, with a selection pitched at experienced Band 6 and stepping up towards Band 7. It covers antenatal, triage, labour ward, birth centre, postnatal and community settings, and each answer is built around a realistic, non-identifying scenario. Every question explains what the panel is really assessing, the points you must hit, the mistakes to avoid and the frameworks worth reading, so you can practise answers that sound like you rather than a textbook.

 

What this question bank covers

• Motivation for midwifery
• NHS values and woman-centred care
• NMC Code and Standards of proficiency for midwives
• Informed choice, consent and Montgomery
• Personalised care and support plans
• Continuity of carer
• Obstetric emergencies and skills drills
• Postpartum haemorrhage
• Shoulder dystocia
• Cord prolapse
• Fetal monitoring and escalation
• MEOWS and maternal sepsis
• Reduced fetal movements
• Birth trauma and listening to women
• Lessons from maternity safety reviews
• Perinatal mental health
• Safeguarding unborn babies
• Domestic abuse and FGM
• Bereavement care
• Working with obstetricians and the multidisciplinary team
• Equity in maternity care
• Record keeping and confidentiality
• Incidents, PSIRF and learning
• Preceptorship, revalidation and wellbeing

 

40 NHS interview questions with full model answers. The first 8 are free to read below. Unlock the remaining 32 for £2.99 (12 months' access).

These are original practice questions written to reflect how NHS interviews are run. They are not leaked or official questions, and Healthcare Interview Prep is independent of the NHS.

 

 

Free NHS interview questions and model answers

 

 

Question 1: Why do you want to be a midwife?

Motivation question  ·  Motivation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants a genuine, personal reason that goes beyond loving babies or wanting to be at births. They are listening for an understanding that midwifery is about the woman and her family across the whole pathway, and for realism about the pressure, the emergencies and the losses.

 

Model answer

Honestly, the moment I knew wasn't a birth at all. It was a postnatal visit on my community placement. I went with my mentor to see a first-time mum on day three. She was sitting on the sofa in tears because feeding wasn't working, her partner had gone back to work and she was convinced she was failing. My mentor didn't rush. She watched a feed, helped with positioning, checked the baby properly and then just asked, how are you sleeping, how are you feeling in yourself? By the time we left, that woman had a plan and she knew who to ring. I remember thinking, that hour has changed how her week goes.

That's what midwifery is to me. It's being with a woman through something huge, from the booking appointment where she's nervous about saying the wrong thing, through labour, and into those wobbly early weeks at home. Births are a privilege to be part of, but the job is so much wider than that. It's giving women real information so they can make their own choices, noticing when something isn't right, and speaking up for them when they need it.

I'm also realistic. I've been in the room for a postpartum haemorrhage and I've cared for a family whose baby died. Those shifts were hard and I've thought a lot about them. They didn't put me off. They made me want to be the calm, safe midwife who listens, and who a woman remembers as being on her side.

 

Why this answer works

The answer opens with a specific memory instead of a cliche about the magic of birth, which makes it believable. It shows the candidate understands the whole pathway, informed choice and advocacy, and it acknowledges emergencies and loss without sounding frightened off.

 

Key points to include

• A real, specific moment that shaped your choice
• Midwifery is about the woman and family across the whole pathway, not just birth
• Informed choice and being with women
• Realism about emergencies, pressure and bereavement
• What kind of midwife you want to be

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Saying you just love babies or find birth amazing
• Talking only about labour ward and ignoring antenatal, postnatal and community care
• Making it all about your own experience of birth without linking it to the role
• Sounding unprepared for the emotional side of the work

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Working together for patients; Everyone counts; NMC Code: prioritise people

 

Further reading

• NMC Standards of proficiency for midwives
• NMC Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates
• NHS Constitution for England

 

 

Question 2: Which NHS value matters most to you as a midwife, and when have you shown it?

NHS Values question  ·  NHS Values

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is checking that you know the NHS values and can link one to real behaviour in maternity care. They want an example, not a definition, and a sense of why that value matters for women and families.

 

Model answer

The six NHS values are working together for patients, respect and dignity, commitment to quality of care, compassion, improving lives, and everyone counts. For me in midwifery it's respect and dignity, because labour is a time when women can be at their most exposed and least listened to.

On my labour ward placement I was caring for a woman in established labour with her first baby. She was coping well, mobilising and using gas and air, and she'd said clearly at the start that she wanted as few vaginal examinations as possible and wanted to be asked every time anyone touched her. A doctor came in to review the CTG, which was fine, and started to say he'd just have a quick feel to check progress. I gently stepped in and said, can we check with her first, she's asked to be offered each examination. He was absolutely fine with it. He explained why he was suggesting it, she asked a couple of questions and decided to wait an hour. When she did agree later, we kept the door closed, covered her, and talked her through it.

After the birth she told me that was the moment she felt safe, because she knew someone was holding her wishes even when she was too tired to say them herself. That's stayed with me. Respect isn't just being polite. It's making sure consent is real every single time, protecting privacy, and treating her as the person in charge of her own body. It also means respecting the doctor and working with him rather than against him, which is why I kept it calm and collaborative.

 

Why this answer works

The candidate names all six values accurately, then proves one with a concrete example. Linking respect to consent for each examination shows they understand that dignity in maternity care is a safety and rights issue, while the calm handling of the doctor shows good teamwork.

 

Key points to include

• Know all six NHS values
• Pick one and show it in a specific maternity example
• Link respect and dignity to consent and privacy
• Advocate for the woman calmly and collaboratively
• Reflect on what it meant for the woman

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Reciting the values with no example
• Choosing a value and then describing a different one
• Making the colleague the villain of the story
• Forgetting to say what difference it made to the woman

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Compassion; Working together for patients; NMC Code: prioritise people

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• NMC Code
• NMC Standards of proficiency for midwives

 

 

Question 3: You are caring for a woman in the second stage of labour. The baby's head is born but the shoulders do not deliver with the next contraction. Talk us through what you would do.

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Clinical Scenario

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to know you recognise shoulder dystocia quickly, call for help immediately and know the principles of the first manoeuvres. They are listening for clear communication with the woman, avoiding harmful actions such as excessive traction or fundal pressure, and good documentation and debrief afterwards.

 

Model answer

The first thing is to recognise it out loud. If the head is born and the face looks tight against the perineum, sometimes called the turtle sign, and the shoulders don't come with gentle routine traction on the next contraction, I'd treat it as shoulder dystocia. I'd press the emergency bell and say clearly, shoulder dystocia, so everyone coming knows what they're walking into. In my trust that brings the coordinator, the obstetric team and the neonatal team, but I'd check the exact call system locally.

I'd note the time the head was born, or ask someone to be the scribe, and I'd speak to the woman calmly. Something like, your baby's shoulder is a bit stuck, I need you to stop pushing for a moment and we're going to move your legs to help. I'd ask her to stop pushing, bring her bottom to the edge of the bed if needed, and put her into McRoberts position with her legs flexed right back towards her abdomen, with a colleague on each side. If that doesn't work, I'd ask a colleague to apply suprapubic pressure from the side of the baby's back, while I apply only gentle axial traction.

Things I wouldn't do matter as much. No fundal pressure, and no strong or downward pulling on the baby's head, because that's how brachial plexus injuries happen. If the first manoeuvres don't work, the next steps are internal manoeuvres such as delivering the posterior arm, or moving her onto all fours, and the most experienced person in the room would lead those. We've practised all of this in our skills drills, which is why I'd expect the team to fall into roles quickly.

Once the baby is born, the neonatal team would be ready to assess and resuscitate if needed, and I'd be aware the woman is now at higher risk of postpartum haemorrhage and perineal trauma. Afterwards I'd make sure the documentation is accurate, including times, manoeuvres, who did what and which shoulder was anterior, usually on the trust's shoulder dystocia proforma. I'd make sure someone explains to the woman and her partner what happened, and I'd join the team debrief.

 

Why this answer works

The answer shows fast recognition, an immediate call for help and the right sequence of first manoeuvres without overclaiming. It names the dangerous actions to avoid, keeps the woman informed and covers the aftermath: PPH risk, the neonatal team, documentation and debrief.

 

Key points to include

• Recognise it and call for help, stating shoulder dystocia clearly
• Note the time of delivery of the head and allocate a scribe
• Stop pushing, McRoberts position, then suprapubic pressure
• Avoid fundal pressure and excessive or downward traction
• Neonatal team, PPH risk, accurate documentation and debrief
• Talk to the woman and her partner throughout and afterwards

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Freezing on the detail and forgetting to call for help first
• Suggesting fundal pressure or pulling harder on the head
• Quoting exact timings or steps you aren't sure of instead of the principles
• Forgetting the woman and her partner, the documentation and the debrief

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Compassion; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• RCOG Green-top Guideline on shoulder dystocia
• NMC Standards of proficiency for midwives
• Trust obstetric emergency and skills drills training
• NMC Code

 

 

Question 4: A woman tells you she wants to decline a recommended induction of labour. How would you handle that conversation?

Communication question  ·  Communication

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see that you understand informed choice and consent in UK law and that you respect a woman's right to decline. They are looking for balanced, personalised information, no coercion, good documentation and a safe plan going forward, including senior input.

 

Model answer

My starting point would be that it's her decision, and my job is to make sure it's a properly informed one, not to talk her round. I'd find a quiet room and some time, and I'd start by asking what she already knows about why induction has been offered and what's worrying her about it. Often there's a story behind a decision, perhaps a sister's long induction or a fear of losing control, and I can't give useful information until I understand that.

Then I'd make sure she has what she needs to decide. That means the reason induction has been recommended for her specifically, the benefits and risks of being induced, the benefits and risks of waiting, and any reasonable alternatives, such as ongoing monitoring with more frequent checks. That's what Montgomery is about. It's the risks that matter to her, not just what a doctor would think is important. I'd use plain language, check her understanding, give her written information in her own language if needed, and make clear she can change her mind at any point.

If the recommendation came from the obstetric team, I'd offer her a conversation with the consultant, or a consultant midwife if she wants to talk through options outside guidance. I'd be clear that's to support her decision, not to pressure her.

If she still declines, I'd respect that. A woman with capacity can decline any intervention, and in UK law her unborn baby doesn't have separate legal rights that override hers. I'd agree a personalised plan with her, for example extra monitoring appointments, and make sure she knows exactly what signs should bring her straight in, such as reduced movements, bleeding or her waters going. I'd document the conversation carefully, the information given, her understanding and her decision, and update her personalised care plan so the next midwife she sees doesn't make her go through it all again.

 

Why this answer works

This answer treats the woman as the decision maker and reflects Montgomery: individualised risks, benefits and alternatives. It avoids coercion, brings in senior support in a supportive way, and ends with a safe plan, clear safety-netting and careful documentation.

 

Key points to include

• Start by understanding her reasons and concerns
• Personalised risks, benefits and alternatives of both options (Montgomery)
• No coercion; she can decline or change her mind
• Offer consultant or consultant midwife discussion as support
• Safe alternative plan, safety-netting and thorough documentation

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the conversation as a chance to change her mind
• Using fear or loaded language such as saying the baby will die
• Forgetting to involve senior colleagues or to document
• Not making an ongoing plan once she declines

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Everyone counts; Working together for patients; NMC Code: prioritise people

 

Further reading

• Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board (2015)
• NICE guideline on inducing labour
• NMC Code
• Mental Capacity Act 2005
• GMC and NMC guidance on consent

 

 

Question 5: At a booking appointment you have concerns about the safety of the unborn baby. What would you do?

Safeguarding question  ·  Safeguarding

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see that you understand pre-birth safeguarding, that you would act early rather than wait, and that you know your referral routes. They are listening for working in partnership with the woman wherever safe, and for good use of the safeguarding midwife and children's social care.

 

Model answer

Booking is often the first time we properly meet a woman, so it's a real opportunity. Say a woman discloses at booking that she's using drugs most days, her partner was recently released from prison for a violent offence and she has an older child who's living with grandparents under a social care arrangement. I'd stay calm and non-judgemental, because if she feels judged she may disengage from care, and that's the biggest risk to her and her baby.

I'd be honest with her. I'd say that what she's told me means I need to share some information so we can make sure she and her baby get the right support, and that I'd like to do that with her. In most cases it's best to seek consent, but if seeking consent would put her or the baby at risk, or she declines and the concerns are serious, I can still share without it. Safeguarding the child comes first.

I'd speak to the trust's safeguarding midwife the same day and make a referral to children's social care, following local procedures, which are usually through the multi-agency safeguarding hub. In practice, trusts often want referrals early in pregnancy so there's time for a pre-birth assessment and a plan before the baby arrives. I'd also think about the woman herself. I'd ask about domestic abuse when she's alone, offer referral to substance misuse services and make sure the GP and health visitor know.

I'd document clearly, factually and in her words where possible, and flag the record according to trust policy so staff on labour ward will know there's a safeguarding plan in place. Over the pregnancy that usually leads to a pre-birth planning meeting and a written plan for birth and discharge. I'd also make sure I'm not doing it alone. Talking it through with the safeguarding team and in supervision keeps my decisions sound and supports me too.

 

Why this answer works

The answer shows early action, clear referral routes and the right balance between consent and protecting the unborn baby. It keeps the woman engaged, considers her own needs including domestic abuse, and covers documentation and the pre-birth plan for labour ward.

 

Key points to include

• Stay non-judgemental to keep her engaged in care
• Be open about sharing information; seek consent unless that increases risk
• Same-day discussion with the safeguarding midwife and referral to children's social care
• Early referral allows time for pre-birth assessment and planning
• Consider the woman's own safety, including routine enquiry about domestic abuse
• Clear factual documentation and record flags per policy

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting until the baby is born to raise concerns
• Promising the woman you will keep it confidential
• Acting alone without the safeguarding team
• Being judgemental so she disengages from antenatal care

 

NHS values and standards

Everyone counts; Compassion; Working together for patients; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (England)
• Children Act 1989 and 2004
• Local safeguarding children partnership procedures
• NMC Code
• Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners

 

 

Question 6: What have you learned from the national reviews into maternity services, and how will it shape your practice?

Patient Safety question  ·  Patient Safety

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to know you have engaged with the major maternity safety reviews and understand the recurring themes. They are not looking for statistics. They want to hear how those lessons would change what you actually do on a shift.

 

Model answer

I've read about the independent reviews, including the Ockenden review into Shrewsbury and Telford and the Kirkup report into East Kent, and earlier the Morecambe Bay investigation. What struck me most is how similar the themes are, even though they happened in different places and years.

The first theme is not listening to women and families. Women said they knew something was wrong and were dismissed. The second is teamwork, with midwives and obstetricians not working as one team and people not feeling able to challenge. The third is fetal monitoring and escalation, where concerns about a CTG weren't acted on or escalated properly. And underneath all of it was culture, including defensive responses when things went wrong and families not being told the truth.

For me that turns into really practical things. When a woman rings triage saying she's not feeling right, I take her seriously and invite her in rather than reassuring her over the phone. I use fresh eyes reviews for CTGs and I escalate when I'm worried, and if I'm still worried I escalate again, up to the consultant if needed. I go to skills drills as a team, because it's the teamwork that saves babies in an emergency. And if something goes wrong, I'll be honest with the family, apologise and make sure the duty of candour is followed.

I'm also aware that the reviews highlighted inequalities, and that women from some ethnic groups and more deprived areas have worse outcomes. So listening properly includes using interpreters and not making assumptions. I know there's ongoing national work on maternity safety too, so I'd keep up to date with what my trust is doing in response.

 

Why this answer works

The candidate shows real engagement with the reviews without inventing figures, identifies the recurring themes accurately and translates each one into concrete behaviour. Including duty of candour and inequalities shows depth.

 

Key points to include

• Name the key reviews accurately without quoting figures
• Recurring themes: listening to women, teamwork, fetal monitoring and escalation, culture and candour
• Translate each theme into practical behaviour on shift
• Mention skills drills and escalation up to consultant level
• Recognise inequalities in outcomes

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Quoting numbers of deaths or harms you can't be sure of
• Speaking about the reviews as if they only concern other trusts
• Listing report names without any personal learning
• Being defensive about midwifery or blaming obstetricians

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Everyone counts; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• Ockenden review of maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
• Reading the signals: maternity and neonatal services in East Kent (Kirkup)
• Morecambe Bay investigation
• Three year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services (NHS England)
• Duty of Candour (CQC Regulation 20)

 

 

Question 7: You are concerned about a CTG, but the obstetric registrar reviews it and says to carry on. You are still worried. What would you do?

Conflict question  ·  Conflict

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is testing whether you will escalate appropriately and keep escalating when you are still concerned, while staying professional and respectful. They want to see that the baby's safety comes before hierarchy and that you document and communicate clearly.

 

Model answer

This is exactly the situation the maternity reviews talk about, so I'd want to handle it well. Say I'm caring for a woman in labour on a continuous CTG and over the last half hour I've seen features that worry me, perhaps a rising baseline with reduced variability, and she's also become warmer. I'd asked for a fresh eyes review, the coordinator agreed it needed a doctor, and the registrar reviewed it and said continue and review in thirty minutes.

First I'd make sure I've understood his reasoning. I'd ask, calmly, what he thinks is going on and what would change his plan. Sometimes there's a picture I haven't seen, and sometimes asking the question makes us both look again. I'd use clear language about what I'm seeing and why I'm worried, including the whole clinical picture, not just the trace. Something like, I'm concerned this looks like it could be infection with the baby starting to struggle, and her temperature's now raised.

If I'm still worried after that conversation, I'd escalate further. I'd go back to the labour ward coordinator, and if we're both still concerned I'd ask for the consultant to be informed or to review. Most trusts have an escalation policy that supports doing exactly that, and I wouldn't let worry about seeming difficult stop me. The baby can't speak up, and nor can a woman who's exhausted.

While that's happening I'd keep caring for the woman, keep her informed, and look at what I can do, like changing her position, checking her observations on MEOWS and making sure the sepsis pathway is considered. I'd document clearly, including the times, who reviewed, what was said and the plan. Afterwards, whatever the outcome, I'd want a quick conversation with the registrar to keep the working relationship good, because next week we'll be on together again.

 

Why this answer works

The candidate shows respect for the doctor's view but keeps escalating while concerned, through the coordinator to the consultant. They look at the whole clinical picture, keep the woman informed, document carefully and protect the working relationship afterwards.

 

Key points to include

• Seek to understand the doctor's reasoning first
• Describe concerns clearly using the full clinical picture
• Escalate to the coordinator and then the consultant if still worried
• Continue care, positional changes, observations and sepsis consideration
• Document times, reviews and decisions
• Keep the woman informed and repair the relationship afterwards

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Accepting the decision silently while still worried
• Being confrontational or going over heads without talking first
• Focusing on the CTG alone and ignoring maternal signs
• Forgetting documentation or the woman herself

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Respect and dignity; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• NICE guideline on fetal monitoring in labour
• Trust escalation policy for maternity
• NMC Code
• Raising concerns: guidance for nurses, midwives and nursing associates (NMC)

 

 

Question 8: On a postnatal visit, a woman says she feels like a stranger to her baby and her partner is worried about her. How would you respond?

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Clinical Scenario

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see that you can spot perinatal mental health red flags, ask directly and kindly, and act promptly. They are listening for knowledge of when this is an emergency, appropriate referral to perinatal mental health services and consideration of the baby's safety.

 

Model answer

I'd take that statement really seriously. Lots of women feel low or tearful in the first week, and that's common, but feeling persistently disconnected or estranged from the baby is one of the red flags we're taught to look out for. So I'd sit down, give her my full attention, and ask her more about it. When did it start, how is she sleeping when she gets the chance, how is she eating, what are her thoughts like.

I'd ask directly, and gently, about thoughts of harming herself or the baby. People worry that asking puts the idea in someone's head, but it doesn't, and many women are relieved to be asked. I'd also listen to what her partner has noticed, because changes in behaviour, confusion, not sleeping even when the baby sleeps, or unusual beliefs can point towards postpartum psychosis, which is a psychiatric emergency.

What I do next depends on what I find. If there's any sign of psychosis, a sudden significant change in her mental state, or new thoughts of violent self-harm, I wouldn't leave her alone and I'd arrange urgent assessment the same day through the perinatal mental health team or the crisis team, following local pathways, and escalate to my senior. If it's more in keeping with depression or anxiety without those red flags, I'd still act promptly, discussing with her GP and referring to the specialist perinatal mental health service if that meets their criteria, and making sure the health visitor knows.

Throughout, I'd be thinking about the baby too, how feeding is going, who's around to help, and whether there are any safeguarding concerns. I'd document carefully and make sure she and her partner know exactly who to contact out of hours. Mostly, I'd want her to know that telling me was the right thing to do, and that this can get better with the right support.

 

Why this answer works

The answer recognises estrangement from the baby as a red flag, asks directly about harm and distinguishes urgent presentations such as postpartum psychosis from those needing prompt but routine referral. It keeps the baby in mind, uses local pathways and leaves the family with a clear safety plan.

 

Key points to include

• Take her statement seriously; persistent estrangement from the baby is a red flag
• Ask directly about thoughts of self-harm or harm to the baby
• Recognise postpartum psychosis as an emergency needing same-day assessment
• Refer through local perinatal mental health pathways and inform GP and health visitor
• Consider the baby's wellbeing and safeguarding
• Document and give clear out-of-hours contacts

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Putting it down to baby blues without assessing further
• Avoiding the direct question about harm
• Leaving a woman with possible psychosis alone or waiting for a routine appointment
• Ignoring the partner's observations

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Everyone counts; Working together for patients; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• NICE guideline on antenatal and postnatal mental health
• MBRRACE-UK reports on maternal deaths and mental health
• Local perinatal mental health pathways
• NMC Code

 

 

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