PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist Interview Questions & Answers

← All NHS Allied Health Professions interview questions

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

Quick answer

What questions are asked in an NHS PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist interview?

NHS PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist interviews usually mix values-based questions with scenarios specific to the role. Typical themes include structured medication reviews, polypharmacy and deprescribing, high risk drug monitoring, shared care agreements, medicines reconciliation and safety alerts and searches. Every interview panel writes its own questions, so practise the themes rather than memorising answers. The 8 free questions on this page cover a spread of them.

 

At a glance

• Role: PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist (NHS Allied Health Professions)

• Questions: 40 original practice questions, each with a full model answer

• Free to read: the first 8 questions and answers on this page

• Full bank: £4.99, 12 months of access, no subscription

• Independent: not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHS

 

Read 8 questions in full, free, and see exactly what you get before you pay. Unlock the other 32 for £4.99. One payment, 12 months of access, no subscription. Secure checkout through Stripe.

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 work as a pharmacist in general practice, and why this primary care network?

Motivation question  ·  Motivation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants a genuine reason for moving into general practice pharmacy and evidence that you understand what the role involves day to day. They are also checking that you have researched this PCN, its practices and its population, and that your expectations are realistic.

 

Model answer

For me it started in community pharmacy. I had a regular customer, an older man on about twelve medicines, who came in one day confused about why his water tablet had changed colour. When I looked properly, he had two different brands of the same diuretic from two separate prescriptions, and he had been taking both. I sorted it out with his surgery, but it stayed with me that I could only see a small piece of his picture from behind the counter. I wanted to be the person who can see the whole record, talk to the patient properly and actually change the plan.

That is what general practice pharmacy offers. Structured medication reviews, long term condition work, high risk drug monitoring and handling the medicines queries that otherwise land on GPs are all things I want to do well. I have started the CPPE primary care pathway reading and I have shadowed a practice pharmacist for two days, so I have a realistic sense of the workload. It is busy, the task lists are long, and you have to be comfortable making decisions and documenting them clearly.

As for this PCN, I looked at your practices and your population. You have a large care home population across two of the practices and a higher than average number of patients living with frailty, so polypharmacy and falls risk are obvious priorities. I also read that the network has been focusing on respiratory care and inhaler optimisation, which is an area I am keen to develop. I like that you already have a pharmacy technician in the team, because I think pharmacists and technicians working together is where the role really adds value.

I will be honest that I am not expecting to know everything on day one. I am looking for a team where I will have a named clinical supervisor and regular protected time to learn, and from what I have heard about this network, that is exactly what you offer. In return I will bring reliability, careful documentation and a real interest in getting medicines right for people.

 

Why this answer works

This answer opens with a specific moment that explains the move into general practice, shows the candidate understands the real workload, and links their interests to the PCN's population. It ends by acknowledging the need for supervision, which reassures the panel. Replace the community pharmacy story and the PCN details with your own experience and research.

 

Key points to include

• A personal, specific reason for choosing general practice pharmacy
• Realistic understanding of SMRs, high risk drug monitoring and task workload
• Evidence of research into this PCN and its population
• How supervision and the training pathway fit your development
• What you will bring to the team

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• A generic answer about wanting more clinical work with nothing behind it
• Talking only about leaving a difficult previous job
• Not knowing anything about the network's practices or priorities
• Overstating your experience or competence

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Improving lives; Working together for patients. GPhC Standards: Provide person-centred care.

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• GPhC Standards for pharmacy professionals
• CPPE Primary care pharmacy education pathway
• NHS England Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service guidance

 

 

Question 2: Can you talk us through how you would carry out a structured medication review?

Clinical question  ·  Clinical knowledge

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing whether you understand that a structured medication review is a shared, person-centred consultation rather than a desk exercise. They want to hear preparation, a clear consultation structure, shared decision making, safe clinical reasoning, documentation, follow up and knowing when to involve the GP.

 

Model answer

I see a structured medication review as a proper clinical consultation where the patient and I work out together whether each medicine is still doing what it should. I prepare first. I read the record, the problem list, recent letters, blood results, and the repeat and acute history, including whether items are actually being collected. I note anything that looks like a prescribing cascade, duplication, interactions or medicines with a high anticholinergic burden, and I use a framework such as STOPP and START or the seven steps approach from the Scottish polypharmacy guidance to structure my thinking.

In the consultation I start by asking what matters to the patient, what they think each medicine is for, and how they actually take them. I check for side effects, falls, dizziness, swallowing problems and over the counter or herbal products. I also ask about practical things like who manages their medicines and whether they use a compliance aid. Often the most useful information comes from simply asking, which of these do you find hardest to take?

I then go through options together, explaining benefits and risks in plain language, and agree a plan. For example, in one review I did on placement, a woman was taking a proton pump inhibitor started years earlier for a short course of anti-inflammatories that had long since stopped. We agreed a step down plan with clear advice about what to do if symptoms came back. If a change is outside my competence or involves a significant clinical decision, I discuss it with the GP before confirming.

Afterwards I document clearly using the practice's SMR template so it counts towards the Network Contract requirements, record what was discussed, what was agreed, and the safety netting given. I update the repeat template, arrange any monitoring, and book a follow up. I also make sure community pharmacy or the care home is informed if their supply will change, because a good decision can still go wrong if nobody downstream knows about it.

 

Why this answer works

This answer shows preparation, a patient-centred consultation, a recognised framework, a concrete deprescribing example, appropriate escalation and careful follow through. Panels want to see that you close the loop with documentation and communication. Use a review you have carried out or observed, and adapt the frameworks to those used in your area.

 

Key points to include

• Thorough preparation using the record, bloods and collection history
• Start with what matters to the patient
• Use a recognised framework such as STOPP and START or the seven steps
• Shared decision making and plain language
• Escalate decisions outside your competence to the GP
• Document on the SMR template, update repeats, communicate and follow up

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Describing a desk based review without talking to the patient
• Listing medicines to stop without considering patient preferences
• Forgetting monitoring, follow up or informing community pharmacy
• Implying you would change anything regardless of competence

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Compassion; Commitment to quality of care. GPhC Standards: Provide person-centred care; Communicate effectively.

 

Further reading

• NICE NG5 Medicines optimisation
• NICE NG56 Multimorbidity: clinical assessment and management
• Polypharmacy: Manage Medicines (Scottish Government)
• NHS England Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service guidance

 

 

Question 3: A patient on methotrexate requests their repeat prescription, but their monitoring blood tests are overdue. What would you do?

Scenario question  ·  Patient safety

 

What the interview panel is assessing

This tests your approach to high risk drug monitoring. The panel wants to see that you balance safety against the harm of stopping treatment abruptly, follow the shared care agreement and practice policy, communicate with the patient, involve the GP or specialist where needed, and fix the system problem.

 

Model answer

Methotrexate is a high risk medicine, so I would not simply issue the repeat, but I also would not just reject it and leave the patient without treatment. My first step would be to check the record properly: when the last bloods were done, what they showed, the monitoring interval in the shared care agreement, and whether the patient is under hospital monitoring that we have not received results for. Sometimes the bloods have been done at the hospital and the results just have not been filed.

If the tests really are overdue, I would contact the patient directly. I would check how they are, and ask specifically about symptoms that might suggest toxicity, such as a sore throat, mouth ulcers, unexplained bruising, breathlessness or a new cough. If they reported anything like that, I would advise them not to take their next dose and arrange same day assessment with the duty GP, because that needs clinical review rather than a prescription decision.

If they are well, I would explain why monitoring matters and arrange the blood test as soon as possible. Whether to issue a short supply while waiting depends on the practice policy and shared care agreement, and I would discuss it with the GP if I was in any doubt. In a similar situation on placement, the practice agreed a short supply on the condition that the bloods were booked within days, and the patient was very understanding once the reason was explained. I would also make sure they know to keep taking folic acid as prescribed.

Finally I would look at why it happened. If the recall system missed this patient, others may be missed too. I would run a search of everyone on methotrexate and other shared care drugs against their last monitoring date, and raise it at the practice meeting. Making the recall robust is a really good use of a PCN pharmacist's time, and it protects patients far more than catching problems one prescription at a time.

 

Why this answer works

The answer balances safety with continuity of treatment, checks the facts before acting, screens for toxicity, follows the shared care agreement and escalates appropriately. It then addresses the system failure with a search, which shows population level thinking. Replace the placement detail with your own example of high risk drug monitoring.

 

Key points to include

• Check for hospital results before assuming tests are missing
• Contact the patient and ask about signs of toxicity
• Same day GP assessment if symptomatic
• Follow the shared care agreement and practice policy on short supplies
• Arrange bloods promptly and document
• Run a practice wide search to fix the recall system

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Issuing the prescription without question
• Refusing outright and leaving the patient without treatment or explanation
• Quoting doses or thresholds you are not sure of
• Not addressing why the monitoring was missed

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Compassion; Everyone counts. GPhC Standards: Use professional judgement.

 

Further reading

• MHRA Drug Safety Update
• Local shared care agreements for disease modifying drugs
• NICE NG5 Medicines optimisation
• British National Formulary (BNF)

 

 

Question 4: During a medication review you recommend stopping a medicine, but the patient wants to carry on taking it. How would you handle this?

Values question  ·  Shared decision making

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see that you respect patient autonomy and use shared decision making rather than persuading or overruling. They are looking for exploration of the patient's reasons, balanced information about risks and benefits, safe documentation and a willingness to accept an informed choice.

 

Model answer

My starting point is that it is the patient's decision, provided they have the information they need and the capacity to make it. A medication review is not about me getting a list of medicines stopped. So I would first find out why they want to continue. Often there is a story behind it: a medicine a consultant started, a fear of symptoms coming back, or a belief that stopping means they are being given up on.

I had this with a man in his late seventies who was on a statin and had been getting muscle aches, and also had a sedating antihistamine at night that was increasing his falls risk. He was happy to talk about the statin but did not want to stop the antihistamine because he said it was the only thing that helped him sleep. I asked him what his nights were like, what he had tried before and what worried him about stopping.

I explained, in plain terms, that the tablet might be adding to his unsteadiness and confusion in the mornings, and I used a simple visual to talk about falls risk. I also listened to him. We agreed a compromise: he would try a gradual reduction over a few weeks with some sleep hygiene advice, and I would ring him to see how he was getting on. If it did not work, he could go back to it and we would think again. He felt in control, which I think is why it worked.

If a patient still wants to continue after a balanced discussion, I respect that. I document the conversation, the information given and their decision, and I make sure the GP is aware if the risk is significant. If I had concerns about capacity, I would follow the Mental Capacity Act principles and involve the GP. I would also leave the door open, because people often come back to a conversation once they have had time to think.

 

Why this answer works

This answer puts autonomy first, explores the patient's reasons, uses a realistic example with a negotiated compromise, and covers documentation and capacity. It shows the candidate understands that deprescribing is shared, not imposed. Swap in your own example of a conversation where a patient's preferences genuinely shaped the plan, and say what you documented afterwards.

 

Key points to include

• The patient decides when they have capacity and information
• Explore the reasons behind their preference
• Explain benefits and risks in plain language
• Offer options such as a trial reduction with follow up
• Document the discussion and inform the GP of significant risk
• Apply the Mental Capacity Act if capacity is in doubt

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trying to persuade the patient until they agree
• Stopping the medicine anyway or quietly removing it from repeats
• Not exploring why the patient wants to continue
• Forgetting documentation

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Compassion; Everyone counts. GPhC Standards: Provide person-centred care.

 

Further reading

• NICE NG197 Shared decision making
• Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice
• GPhC Guidance on consent
• NICE NG5 Medicines optimisation

Found these useful? The other 32 questions cover the rest of the role, each with a full model answer. Unlock all 40 for £4.99.

 

 

Question 5: Tell us about a time you disagreed with a prescriber about a medicine. How did you handle it?

Competency question  ·  Teamwork

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing your communication, assertiveness and professionalism when challenging a more senior clinician. They want to see that you put patient safety first, use evidence, stay respectful, are open to being wrong and know how to escalate if a genuine safety concern remains.

 

Model answer

In my last role in a hospital pharmacy team I was screening a discharge prescription for a woman in her eighties with heart failure and chronic kidney disease. A junior doctor had restarted a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory she had been taking at home for knee pain, alongside her diuretic and an ACE inhibitor. That combination carries a real risk of acute kidney injury, and her renal function had already dipped during admission.

I went to speak to the doctor in person rather than writing a note on the chart, because I find a conversation is quicker and less likely to feel like criticism. I explained what I had noticed, referred to her recent results and the interaction, and asked what the reasoning was. He said the patient had been very insistent because the knee pain was affecting her mobility. That was useful, because it meant the problem we needed to solve was pain, not just a prescribing error.

He was initially reluctant to change it because he felt the patient would be upset. I suggested we look at alternatives together, such as regular paracetamol and a topical anti-inflammatory, and offered to talk to the patient myself about why. He agreed, and the consultant was happy with the plan when we mentioned it on the ward round. I spoke to the patient, who was fine once she understood the risk to her kidneys and that her pain was still being taken seriously.

The result was a safer discharge and a better relationship with that doctor, who started coming to me with questions. What I learned is to understand the prescriber's reasoning before challenging it. In general practice I would take the same approach with a GP, and if I still had a serious safety concern after discussion, I would escalate to the clinical lead or another senior GP rather than let it drop.

 

Why this answer works

The STAR structure is clear, the safety issue is real, and the candidate shows curiosity about the prescriber's reasoning rather than simply correcting them. Offering a solution and talking to the patient demonstrates teamwork. Use your own example where you challenged a prescriber respectfully, and say what you would do if the disagreement continued.

 

Key points to include

• Clear situation with a real patient safety risk
• Raise it directly and respectfully, ideally in person
• Ask about the prescriber's reasoning
• Offer evidence and practical alternatives
• Know how to escalate if the concern remains
• Reflect on what you learned

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Describing the prescriber as incompetent or difficult
• Backing down on a genuine safety issue to avoid conflict
• Choosing a trivial example with no real risk
• Forgetting to say what happened for the patient

 

NHS values and standards

Working together for patients; Respect and dignity; Commitment to quality of care. GPhC Standards: Work in partnership with others; Speak up when things go wrong.

 

Further reading

• GPhC Standards for pharmacy professionals
• RPS A Competency Framework for all Prescribers
• NHS Constitution for England

 

 

Question 6: Tell us about a time you identified a medication error or near miss. What did you do?

Competency question  ·  Patient safety

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see that you act immediately to protect the patient, are open and honest, report through the proper system, and use errors to improve the system rather than blame individuals. They are also looking for an understanding of duty of candour and a learning culture.

 

Model answer

When I was working in community pharmacy, I was doing a final accuracy check on a monitored dosage system tray for a care home resident. The prescription from the surgery had changed her anticoagulant from warfarin to a direct oral anticoagulant, but the warfarin was still on the repeat template and both had been dispensed. If it had gone out, she could have received two anticoagulants together.

My immediate priority was the patient. I stopped the tray, contacted the practice and spoke to the duty GP, who confirmed the warfarin should have been removed. I then phoned the care home to check that no warfarin from a previous supply was still in their stock and being given, and asked them to quarantine it. Fortunately she had not had any doses of both together.

I recorded it as a near miss on our incident reporting system and the practice reported their side through their own process. I also told the care home manager exactly what had happened, because I think being open is part of keeping trust, even when no harm occurred. Later the practice told me the switch had been done by a hospital letter, and the repeat template had been updated by adding the new medicine without removing the old one.

The learning was really about the handover between hospital, practice and pharmacy. The practice introduced a check that any anticoagulant switch is reviewed by the practice pharmacist before the repeat is updated, and we added a step in our dispensary to flag any patient with two anticoagulants on one prescription. That experience is a big part of why I want to work in general practice, because the pharmacist there is in the position to stop errors like this at source. If harm had occurred, I would have followed the duty of candour and made sure the patient or their family received an apology and an explanation.

 

Why this answer works

This answer prioritises the patient, follows reporting processes, shows openness, and turns a near miss into system change. It also shows an understanding of duty of candour. Replace the scenario with your own error or near miss, and focus on the action and learning rather than who was at fault.

 

Key points to include

• Act first to protect the patient
• Contact the right people quickly
• Report on the incident reporting system
• Be open and honest, including duty of candour when harm occurs
• Focus on system learning, not blame
• Describe the change that followed

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing an example where you hid or minimised the error
• Blaming a colleague
• Not mentioning incident reporting
• No learning or system change

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Respect and dignity; Working together for patients. GPhC Standards: Speak up when things go wrong; Be open and honest.

 

Further reading

• Openness and honesty when things go wrong: the professional duty of candour (joint statement)
• NHS Patient Safety Incident Response Framework
• GPhC Standards for pharmacy professionals
• RPS Keeping patients safe when they transfer between care providers

 

 

Question 7: You are asked to review an 86 year old patient on fourteen regular medicines who has had two falls in three months. How would you approach this?

Clinical question  ·  Polypharmacy

 

What the interview panel is assessing

This tests your clinical reasoning on polypharmacy and frailty. The panel wants to see structured review, identification of falls risk increasing drugs, consideration of the whole person, shared decision making with the patient and carers, multidisciplinary working and safe follow up.

 

Model answer

I would treat this as a priority structured medication review, because falls in someone of that age can lead to fractures and loss of independence. Before speaking to the patient I would look at the whole picture: diagnoses, frailty score, recent blood pressure readings including any lying and standing measurements, renal function, sodium, and any hospital letters about the falls.

I would then go through each medicine looking for falls risk increasing drugs. That includes antihypertensives that may now be too much, especially if blood pressure has drifted down, sedatives and hypnotics, antipsychotics, antidepressants, opioids, medicines with a high anticholinergic burden, and anything causing hypoglycaemia if they are diabetic. I would also look for duplication and prescribing cascades, and at whether every medicine still has a current indication. STOPP and START helps me be systematic.

I would want to see the patient, ideally face to face, with a family member or carer if they wish. I would ask about the falls themselves: when they happen, whether they feel dizzy on standing, whether they get up at night to the toilet after a diuretic. I would also ask what matters most to them, because for many people staying independent at home is the goal, and that helps prioritise. I would agree changes one or two at a time so that we can see the effect, and explain what to look out for.

I would discuss significant changes with the GP, and suggest referral to the falls service or community physiotherapy if they have not been seen, and a bone health assessment. I would document the review on the SMR template, update the repeats, let the community pharmacy know if the compliance aid changes, and book a follow up call within a few weeks. On placement I saw a similar review where stopping one antihypertensive and a night time sedative made a real difference to a patient's confidence, so I know how valuable this work can be.

 

Why this answer works

The answer is systematic, names the main falls risk increasing drug classes at principle level, puts the patient's goals at the centre and links with the wider falls pathway. Making changes gradually with follow up shows safe practice. Use your own experience of a frailty or polypharmacy review to make it personal.

 

Key points to include

• Treat as a priority and prepare from the record
• Identify falls risk increasing drugs and anticholinergic burden
• Check for duplication, cascades and lost indications
• Ask about the falls and what matters to the patient
• Change gradually with follow up
• Involve the GP, falls service and bone health assessment

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Stopping lots of medicines at once
• Ignoring the patient's own goals
• Focusing only on medicines and forgetting other falls causes
• Quoting numeric thresholds you are not certain of

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Respect and dignity; Improving lives. GPhC Standards: Provide person-centred care; Use professional judgement.

 

Further reading

• NICE NG56 Multimorbidity: clinical assessment and management
• NICE NG249 Falls: assessment and prevention in older people
• Polypharmacy: Manage Medicines (Scottish Government)
• STOPP and START criteria

 

 

Question 8: A hospital discharge letter arrives with several changes that do not match the patient's repeat prescriptions. How would you reconcile it?

Scenario question  ·  Medicines reconciliation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing your understanding of transfer of care as a high risk point for medication errors. They want a systematic reconciliation process, clarification with the hospital where needed, patient involvement, timely updates to the record and communication with community pharmacy.

 

Model answer

Transfers of care are one of the riskiest points for medicines, so I would aim to reconcile the letter promptly, ideally within a day or two of it arriving, as many practices set a target for this. I would compare the discharge medicines line by line with the repeat template and the most recent acute prescriptions. For every difference, I would ask whether it was intentional and documented, unintentional, or unclear.

Intentional, documented changes, such as a new medicine with a clear indication or a dose change explained in the letter, I would update on the record and annotate so other clinicians can see why. Where something has been omitted without explanation, for example a regular inhaler or an antidepressant missing from the list, I would not assume it was stopped. I would contact the ward pharmacist or discharging team to clarify. I find hospital pharmacy teams are usually very helpful if you ring with a specific question.

I would also speak to the patient or their carer, because they often know exactly what they were told on the ward and what they are taking now. When I did this on placement, a patient had been sent home with a new anticoagulant but was also still taking aspirin from home because nobody had told him to stop. A five minute phone call sorted it out and he was very grateful.

Any change outside my competence, such as an unexpected stop of a cardiac medicine, I would discuss with the GP. I would also check for monitoring needs, for example renal function after starting or changing certain medicines, and set up any recall. Finally I would inform the community pharmacy, especially for patients with compliance aids or on the Discharge Medicines Service, so their supply matches. I would document the reconciliation clearly so that anyone opening the record afterwards knows the list is accurate.

 

Why this answer works

This answer shows a structured comparison, clear categories of discrepancy, clarification rather than assumption, patient involvement and communication with community pharmacy. The example makes it believable. Replace the placement story with your own reconciliation experience, mention any local targets you know about, and show how you close the loop with the patient and pharmacy.

 

Key points to include

• Reconcile promptly and line by line
• Classify differences as intentional, unintentional or unclear
• Clarify unexplained omissions with the hospital
• Speak to the patient or carer
• Escalate decisions outside competence and arrange monitoring
• Inform community pharmacy and document clearly

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Copying the discharge list straight onto the record
• Assuming omissions were deliberate
• Not involving the patient
• Forgetting community pharmacy and compliance aids

 

NHS values and standards

Working together for patients; Commitment to quality of care; Everyone counts. GPhC Standards: Work in partnership with others.

 

Further reading

• RPS Keeping patients safe when they transfer between care providers
• NICE NG5 Medicines optimisation
• NHS England Discharge Medicines Service guidance

 

 

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You have seen how the model answers work. Unlock the full PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist bank to practise every theme the panel might ask about, with the mistakes to avoid spelled out for each one.

 

 

 

About this NHS interview question bank

To prepare for a PCN or GP practice pharmacist interview, practise talking through real primary care situations out loud: a structured medication review for a frail patient with polypharmacy, overdue monitoring for methotrexate or lithium, a discharge letter that does not match the repeats, a safety alert search across several practices, sick day guidance and a patient asking for an early opioid supply. Panels will also explore your motivation, the NHS values, working with GPs, prescribing within competence, the CPPE pathway and how you raise concerns, so prepare honest examples from practice.

This bank is for pharmacists applying for primary care network and GP practice roles, typically Band 7 to Band 8a, from newly appointed clinical pharmacists on the training pathway to experienced independent prescribers. Each of the 40 original practice questions includes a first-person model answer, what the panel is assessing, key points, common mistakes, the NHS values and GPhC standards it reflects, and further reading. Themes include structured medication reviews, polypharmacy and deprescribing, high risk drug monitoring, medicines reconciliation, safety alerts, care homes, long term conditions, antimicrobial stewardship, safeguarding, working with GPs and technicians, prescribing within competence and professional development.

 

What this question bank covers

• Structured medication reviews
• Polypharmacy and deprescribing
• High risk drug monitoring
• Shared care agreements
• Medicines reconciliation
• Safety alerts and searches
• Anticoagulants
• Asthma and long term conditions
• Sick day guidance
• Medicines associated with dependence
• Care home reviews
• Antimicrobial stewardship
• Remote consultations
• Safeguarding and confidentiality
• Working with GPs and technicians
• Prescribing within competence
• CPPE pathway and revalidation

 

 

PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist NHS interview: frequently asked questions

 

What questions are asked in an NHS PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist interview?

NHS PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist interviews usually mix values-based questions with scenarios specific to the role. Typical themes include structured medication reviews, polypharmacy and deprescribing, high risk drug monitoring, shared care agreements, medicines reconciliation and safety alerts and searches. Every interview panel writes its own questions, so practise the themes rather than memorising answers. The 8 free questions on this page cover a spread of them.

 

What band is an NHS PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist job?

The questions on this page are pitched mainly at Band 7 to Band 8a posts. The band for any job depends on the trust and the responsibilities of the post, so always check the advert and job description. Higher bands bring more questions on leadership, supervising others and improving the service.

 

How should I prepare for an NHS PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist interview?

Read the job description and person specification closely, then prepare five or six real examples you can tell using the STAR method (situation, task, action, result). Revise your regulator's standards (such as the HCPC or GPhC), consent and capacity, safeguarding, caseload management and patient safety. Research the trust's own values and the service you would join, and practise your answers out loud before the day.

 

Which NHS values and standards should I mention in a PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist interview?

Link your examples to the NHS values from the NHS Constitution, such as compassion, respect and dignity, and working together for patients. For this role, panels will also expect you to understand your regulator's standards (such as the HCPC or GPhC), consent and capacity, safeguarding, caseload management and patient safety. Show these through what you actually did rather than reciting lists.

 

Are these real NHS PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist interview questions?

No. They are original practice questions written to reflect how NHS PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist interviews are typically run. Healthcare Interview Prep is independent and not affiliated with the NHS, and nobody can promise which questions you will be asked. Use the model answers to learn structure and content, then build answers from your own experience.

 

What do I get if I unlock the full PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist question bank?

You get all 40 PCN & GP Practice Pharmacist practice questions. Each one has what the panel is assessing, a model answer, why the answer works, key points to include, common mistakes and the NHS values it links to. It is a one-off payment of £4.99 for 12 months' access, with no subscription.

Read the full NHS Allied Health Professions interview guide →