Speech & Language Therapy Interview Questions & Answers

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About this NHS interview question bank

To prepare for a speech and language therapy NHS interview, expect questions on dysphagia assessment and aspiration risk, eating and drinking with acknowledged risks and mental capacity, aphasia and supported conversation, children's speech, language and communication needs, safeguarding and how you manage a caseload with a waiting list. Build short spoken answers around real moments from your clinical placements or practice, and know the HCPC standards, RCSLT guidance, IDDSI and the NHS values before you walk in.

This bank contains 40 original practice questions with first-person model answers written for speech and language therapists applying for Band 5 newly qualified posts, with a selection pitched at Band 6 and stepping towards Band 7. It covers acute stroke and adult inpatient work, community and care home dysphagia, children's services in clinics, nurseries and schools, learning disability, AAC and tracheostomy care. Each 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 a real therapist rather than a textbook.

 

What this question bank covers

• Motivation for speech and language therapy
• HCPC standards and RCSLT guidance
• NHS values and personalised care
• Dysphagia assessment and aspiration risk
• IDDSI
• Eating and drinking with acknowledged risks
• Mental Capacity Act and best interests
• Aphasia and supported conversation
• Children's speech, language and communication needs
• Working with schools and EHCPs
• AAC
• Autism and learning disability
• Tracheostomy and voice
• Caseload prioritisation and waiting lists
• Training others
• Safeguarding adults and children
• Confidentiality and record keeping
• Incidents, PSIRF and learning
• CPD, supervision 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 speech and language therapist?

Motivation question  ·  Motivation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants a genuine, personal reason that shows you understand what the job actually involves day to day, not just an interest in language. They are listening for awareness of both communication and swallowing, and for an understanding of how much these affect someone's identity, safety and quality of life.

 

Model answer

What pulled me in was realising how much of a person disappears when they can't communicate. Before my degree I volunteered at a stroke club, and there was a retired man there who'd been a keen storyteller. After his stroke he had severe expressive aphasia, and people had started talking to his wife instead of him. One afternoon a volunteer brought out a map and some photos, and with a lot of pointing and gesture he told us about a trip he'd taken decades before. He was laughing, and so was everyone at the table. I remember thinking that the skill wasn't in him suddenly getting better, it was in someone giving him the right way in.

That's the side of the job most people know about. What I didn't fully appreciate until my placements was how much of our work is about swallowing. On my acute placement I saw how a careful swallow assessment could get someone safely eating again after days of being nil by mouth, and how much that mattered to them. Eating with family, having a cup of tea, those are huge parts of everyday life, and getting the balance right between safety and quality of life is something I find really interesting and important.

I also love the variety. In one placement I was working with a four-year-old on attention and listening using bubbles and toy animals, and in another I was in a care home talking about mouth care with staff. The common thread is helping people be understood and stay safe, and doing it in a way that fits their life.

I'll be honest that I know it's demanding. Caseloads are big, waiting lists are real, and some conversations, like talking about risks with someone who wants to keep eating, are hard. But that's exactly the work I want to be good at, and I'm ready to keep learning with good supervision around me.

 

Why this answer works

The answer opens with a specific memory instead of a general statement about loving language, which makes it believable. It shows the candidate knows SLT covers swallowing as well as communication, across ages and settings, and it ends with realism about pressures and an openness to supervision that suits a Band 5.

 

Key points to include

• A specific moment or experience that shaped your choice
• Understanding that the role covers both communication and swallowing
• Awareness of the range of client groups and settings
• Recognition of the impact on identity, safety and quality of life
• Realism about workload and difficult conversations

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Talking only about an interest in linguistics or language
• Forgetting dysphagia entirely
• Giving a generic healthcare answer that could fit any profession
• Sounding unaware of the pressures on services

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Improving lives; Everyone counts; HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

 

Further reading

• HCPC Standards of proficiency: Speech and language therapists
• RCSLT information on the role of speech and language therapy
• NHS Constitution for England

 

 

Question 2: Which NHS value matters most to you as a speech and language therapist, and how 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 SLT practice. They want a concrete example from placement or work, and some reflection on why that value is particularly important for people with communication or swallowing difficulties.

 

Model answer

The NHS values are working together for patients, respect and dignity, commitment to quality of care, compassion, improving lives and everyone counts. For me, respect and dignity is the one that comes up most in speech and language therapy, because people with communication difficulties are so easily talked about rather than talked to.

On my inpatient placement I was asked to see a woman on a medical ward who had moderate aphasia after a stroke. The ward round had discussed her discharge plan at the end of the bed, mostly with her daughter, and when I arrived she was clearly frustrated. She kept shaking her head and pushing the menu card away. I sat down at her level, turned the television off, and used a written choice format with key words and a simple scale drawn on paper. It took a while, but she was able to tell me that she wanted to go home rather than to a care home for rehab, and that she was worried about who would feed the cat.

That might sound small, but nobody had asked her. With my supervisor's agreement, I shared what she'd told me with the ward team and the occupational therapist, and I left a short communication guide by her bed with tips like giving her time, using yes and no questions and writing down key words. I wrote in the notes how she communicated best so the next person wouldn't have to start from scratch.

What I took from that is that respect isn't just about being polite. For our patients it's about making sure they actually have a voice in decisions about their own care, and recognising that aphasia affects language, not intelligence. It's also about dignity with eating and drinking, things like how someone is positioned, whether they're rushed, and whether a modified diet looks like a meal. I try to keep that in mind with every person I see.

 

Why this answer works

The answer names the values accurately, picks one and grounds it in a specific, realistic ward scenario. It shows practical supported conversation skills, teamwork and good documentation, and it links the value directly to aphasia and to mealtimes, which makes it clearly an SLT answer.

 

Key points to include

• Name the NHS values accurately and choose one
• Give a specific example from placement or practice
• Show how the value applies to people with communication or swallowing needs
• Include what you did, who you involved and what changed
• Reflect on what you learned

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Reciting all the values without an example
• Choosing a value but describing a different one in the story
• Using an example with no link to SLT
• Making yourself the hero without involving the team

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Working together for patients; Everyone counts; HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice
• RCSLT guidance on aphasia
• HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

 

 

Question 3: How would you support a conversation with a patient who has expressive aphasia after a stroke?

Communication question  ·  Communication

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see practical, person-centred communication skills that go beyond 'speak slowly'. They are listening for supported conversation techniques, checking understanding, involving family and the wider team, and treating the person as a competent adult.

 

Model answer

The first thing I'd do is set things up so the conversation has a chance. On a busy stroke ward that means finding a quieter moment, turning off the TV, making sure they've got their glasses and hearing aids if they use them, and sitting where they can see my face. I'd have a pen and paper ready before I start, because I'll almost certainly need it.

Then I'd acknowledge competence early on. I might say something like, "I know you know what you want to say, and the stroke has made it hard to get the words out. Let's work it out together." I find that takes a lot of pressure off. I'd keep my own language clear and natural, not childish, and give plenty of time for them to respond without jumping in to finish their sentences unless they want me to.

For getting their message out, I'd use whatever works for them. That might be written key words they can point to, a simple choice of two or three options, gesture, drawing, or a rating scale. If they're trying to tell me something and I'm not getting it, I'd narrow it down with yes and no questions, checking the topic first, so "is it about home?" before getting into detail. And I'd always check back what I've understood, like, "So you're worried about the stairs at home, is that right?"

Afterwards I'd write in the notes and on a bedside communication passport what helps, so nurses, doctors and therapists can use the same approach. If family are involved, I'd show them the techniques too, because they're often the people most desperate to connect and most likely to finish words for them.

I'd also be thinking about capacity. Aphasia doesn't mean someone lacks capacity, and if there's a big decision like discharge destination, it's part of our role to help them understand and express their views. I'd talk with my supervisor and the team about how best to support that.

 

Why this answer works

The answer is practical and structured around the environment, acknowledging competence, supporting expression, checking understanding and sharing strategies. It recognises the SLT's role in supporting capacity assessments, which shows wider understanding of the job.

 

Key points to include

• Prepare the environment and remove distractions
• Acknowledge the person's competence
• Use writing, gesture, choices and yes/no questions to support expression
• Check back your understanding
• Share strategies with the team and family through notes and a communication passport
• Recognise SLT's role in supporting capacity and decision-making

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Talking to the family instead of the patient
• Using a patronising tone or simplified 'baby' language
• Finishing sentences or rushing the person
• Not sharing strategies with the wider team

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Compassion; Working together for patients; HCPC Standards of proficiency

 

Further reading

• RCSLT guidance on aphasia
• National Clinical Guideline for Stroke
• Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice
• Accessible Information Standard (England)

 

 

Question 4: During a session in a primary school, a child says something that worries you about their safety at home. What would you do?

Safeguarding question  ·  Safeguarding

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is checking that you know how to respond to a disclosure calmly and correctly, especially when the child may have language difficulties. They want to hear that you would not investigate, would not promise secrecy, would record accurately and would follow both your trust's and the school's safeguarding procedures.

 

Model answer

I'd stay calm and keep my face and voice neutral, because if the child sees I'm shocked they might stop talking. I'd listen and let them say what they want to say in their own words. With children on our caseload this is particularly important, because many of them have language difficulties, and leading questions can easily put words in their mouth. So I wouldn't ask things like "Did someone hurt you?" I might say "Tell me more" or simply repeat back what they've said, but I wouldn't start questioning or investigating.

If they asked me to keep it a secret, I'd be honest in a way they could understand, something like, "I can't keep this a secret, because I need to help keep you safe. I'm going to tell someone whose job it is to help." I'd reassure them they've done the right thing by telling me.

As soon as the session finished, I'd write down exactly what the child said, using their words, including any gestures or signs if they used them, along with the time, date, who was there and what led up to it. I'd make the record factual and keep my opinion out of it.

Then I'd act quickly. Because I'm working in a school, I'd report it straight away to the school's designated safeguarding lead in person, and I'd also follow my own trust's process, which would normally mean speaking to my supervisor or the trust safeguarding team and recording it in our clinical notes. If I thought the child was at immediate risk and I couldn't reach anyone, I'd contact children's social care or the police directly. I wouldn't leave it until the end of the day hoping someone else would deal with it.

Afterwards I'd make sure I knew what action was taken, as far as I'm entitled to know, and I'd use supervision to talk it through. These situations stay with you, and I'd want to reflect on how I handled it.

 

Why this answer works

This answer shows a calm, child-centred response that avoids leading questions, which is especially relevant for children with language needs. It covers honesty about confidentiality, accurate recording, reporting to both the school's DSL and the trust process, and escalating directly if there is immediate risk.

 

Key points to include

• Stay calm and listen without investigating
• Avoid leading questions, especially with children with language difficulties
• Never promise to keep a secret
• Record the child's exact words, including signs or gestures, factually
• Report to the school DSL and follow trust procedures promptly
• Contact social care or police directly if there is immediate danger

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Questioning the child to get more detail
• Promising to keep it secret
• Waiting to discuss it at the next team meeting
• Only telling the school and not following your own trust's process

 

NHS values and standards

Everyone counts; Compassion; Working together for patients; HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

 

Further reading

• Working Together to Safeguard Children
• Keeping Children Safe in Education
• Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004
• Your trust and local safeguarding children partnership procedures

 

 

Question 5: Tell us about a time you made a mistake or something went wrong. What did you learn?

Patient Safety question  ·  Patient Safety

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants honesty, insight and evidence that you put the patient first when something goes wrong. They are looking for a real but proportionate example, a clear account of how you escalated and reported it, and what you changed afterwards.

 

Model answer

On my final placement in a community team, I'd seen a gentleman in a care home and changed his drink recommendation from slightly thick to mildly thick, which in IDDSI terms is level 1 to level 2. I wrote it clearly in our notes and updated the eating and drinking plan, but I left the new plan with the senior carer on duty rather than making sure it replaced the old copy in his room and in the kitchen folder.

Two days later my supervisor had a call from the home. A different carer had been using the old plan, and he'd been given level 1 drinks. Thankfully he hadn't shown any signs of harm, but he'd been coughing a bit more with drinks, which was the very reason we'd changed it.

My stomach dropped when I heard, and I won't pretend otherwise. But I went straight to my supervisor and told her exactly what I'd done. We phoned the home together, checked how he was, asked them to monitor his chest and temperature and to let his GP know if anything changed, and went out the next day to replace every copy of the plan. An incident report was completed, and I was open with the home manager about the part our handover had played.

What I learned was that writing a recommendation isn't the same as it being followed. Since then I always ask where every copy of a plan is kept, I remove or clearly cross out old versions with the staff member, and I check that the person in charge has understood the change, not just received a piece of paper. Where possible I'll also show staff what the new consistency looks like using the IDDSI flow test, because that tends to stick far better than writing.

It also made me appreciate the PSIRF approach. The learning wasn't about blaming one carer. It was about how our plans get shared, and the team ended up adding a check to our care home handover process.

 

Why this answer works

The example is realistic, specific to dysphagia work and proportionate for a student or newly qualified SLT. It shows immediate escalation, checking on the patient, honesty, incident reporting and concrete changes to practice, and it links the learning to a systems approach rather than blame.

 

Key points to include

• Choose a real, proportionate example relevant to SLT
• Put the patient's safety first and escalate quickly
• Be open and honest, including reporting an incident
• Describe specific changes you made to your practice
• Show understanding of a learning, not blaming, culture

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Claiming you have never made a mistake
• Picking a 'mistake' that is really a strength
• Blaming others or the system without owning your part
• Choosing an example that suggests serious unsafe practice with no insight

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Everyone counts; HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (openness and candour)

 

Further reading

• Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)
• HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
• IDDSI framework
• Professional duty of candour guidance

 

 

Question 6: You're asked to see a patient on the stroke unit for a swallow assessment. Talk us through what you would do.

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Clinical Scenario

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see a safe, structured approach to a clinical bedside swallow assessment that reflects your competence level as a newly qualified SLT. They are listening for case history and readiness checks, careful trials, clear recommendations, escalation where needed, and good communication with the team.

 

Model answer

Before I go near the patient, I'd read the notes. I'd want to know the type and site of stroke, how alert they've been, their chest status, any history of pneumonia, their observations and NEWS2 trend, what the nursing swallow screen found and how they're currently getting nutrition, hydration and medication. I'd also check whether they have a tracheostomy, oxygen requirement or anything else that would change my plan, and speak to the nurse looking after them.

At the bedside I'd introduce myself, explain what I'm doing in a way they can understand and get their consent. Then I'd check readiness. Are they alert enough to stay awake through a trial? Can they sit upright, ideally fully upright in a chair or well supported in bed? How are they managing their own secretions? I'd look at their mouth, because a dry or dirty mouth is a risk in itself, and I'd do an oromotor and cranial nerve examination, looking at lip seal, tongue movement, palate, voice quality and cough.

If they're ready, I'd start with small, controlled trials, usually starting with sips of water from a teaspoon and building up, watching for signs of aspiration or difficulty such as coughing, a wet or gurgly voice, changes in breathing, delayed swallow or residue. I'd keep in mind that someone can aspirate silently without coughing, especially after a stroke, so a clean bedside assessment doesn't rule it out.

From that I'd make recommendations using IDDSI levels for food and drink, plus strategies like positioning, small sips, supervision and mouth care, and I'd consider how medication should be given, checking with the pharmacist if tablets can't be swallowed whole. If they're not safe for any oral intake, they'd stay nil by mouth and I'd flag to the medical team quickly so that alternative nutrition, hydration and medication routes are discussed.

I'd document clearly, put a bedside plan in place and talk it through with the nurse. And as a newly qualified therapist, if I was uncertain, the presentation was complex or I thought instrumental assessment like videofluoroscopy or FEES might help, I'd discuss it with my senior.

 

Why this answer works

The answer follows a safe, logical structure from preparation to documentation, uses correct terminology and shows awareness of silent aspiration and the limits of bedside assessment. It includes nutrition, hydration and medication routes, IDDSI recommendations and appropriate escalation for a Band 5.

 

Key points to include

• Review notes, observations, chest status and the nursing screen first
• Check alertness, positioning, secretions and oral hygiene
• Carry out an oromotor and cranial nerve examination
• Use small, graded trials and watch for signs of aspiration
• Recognise the risk of silent aspiration and limits of bedside assessment
• Give clear IDDSI recommendations, strategies, medication advice and escalate where needed

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Going straight to trials without reviewing the notes or readiness
• Ignoring medication and hydration if the patient stays nil by mouth
• Implying a bedside assessment can rule out aspiration
• Not mentioning when to involve a senior or instrumental assessment

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Compassion; HCPC Standards of proficiency

 

Further reading

• National Clinical Guideline for Stroke
• NICE guidance on stroke rehabilitation
• IDDSI framework
• RCSLT guidance on dysphagia

 

 

Question 7: A patient with capacity wants to keep eating a normal diet even though your assessment shows a high risk of aspiration. How would you handle this?

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Clinical Scenario

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is testing your understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and eating and drinking with acknowledged risks. They want to see that you respect informed choices, give balanced information, work with the multidisciplinary team, document carefully and keep supporting the person rather than withdrawing.

 

Model answer

The starting point for me is the Mental Capacity Act. Adults are assumed to have capacity unless it's established otherwise, and someone with capacity is entitled to make a decision others think is unwise. So if this person has capacity for this decision, my job isn't to talk them into my recommendation. It's to make sure their choice is informed and that we support it as safely as we can.

First I'd make sure they really do understand the information. I'd explain what I found in plain language, what aspiration is, what it could lead to, like chest infections or pneumonia, and what the alternatives are, including modified textures or, depending on the situation, non-oral feeding. I'd also be honest about the limits of what we know. I'd use whatever communication support they need, and if there was any doubt about capacity for this specific decision, I'd raise it with the team so it could be assessed properly.

Then I'd really listen to why they've made their choice. Often it's about quality of life. Food might be one of the few pleasures they have left, or thickened drinks might be so unpleasant they're barely drinking, which carries its own risks. Hearing that helps me work with them rather than against them.

Next, I'd look at how to reduce risk within their choice. That might be good positioning, staying upright after meals, small mouthfuls, avoiding the highest-risk foods they don't mind giving up, really good mouth care, and being well hydrated. This is what RCSLT describes as eating and drinking with acknowledged risks. It's a team decision, so I'd involve the medical team, nursing staff, the dietitian and family if the patient agrees, and I'd discuss it with my supervisor.

Finally, I'd document carefully: the assessment, the information given, the patient's understanding, their decision and reasons, the agreed plan and who was involved. And I'd make sure the plan is shared, so that staff don't keep refusing them food or offering thickened drinks against their wishes. I'd also make clear we'd review it if their condition changes.

 

Why this answer works

The answer correctly applies the Mental Capacity Act principles and the concept of eating and drinking with acknowledged risks. It balances respect for autonomy with practical risk reduction, recognises the decision is multidisciplinary and stresses documentation and sharing the plan.

 

Key points to include

• Presume capacity and respect the right to make unwise decisions
• Make sure the decision is informed, with communication support
• Explore the person's reasons and quality of life
• Reduce risk within their choice and agree a team plan
• Document thoroughly and share the plan with all staff
• Review if the situation or capacity changes

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trying to persuade or pressure the patient into compliance
• Treating it as solely the SLT's decision
• Discharging the patient from SLT because they declined advice
• Poor documentation of the discussion and decision

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Compassion; Working together for patients; HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

 

Further reading

• Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Code of Practice
• RCSLT guidance on eating and drinking with acknowledged risks
• IDDSI framework
• HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

 

 

Question 8: How do the HCPC standards and RCSLT guidance shape your practice as a newly qualified therapist?

Professional Development question  ·  Professional Development

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to know you understand your regulator and professional body and that you see them as practical guides rather than paperwork. They want to hear how you will work within your scope, use supervision and keep developing in your first year.

 

Model answer

The HCPC is our regulator, and its standards are what I'm accountable to. The two I think about most day to day are the standards of proficiency for speech and language therapists and the standards of conduct, performance and ethics. In practice that means things like working within the limits of my knowledge and skills, communicating clearly, keeping accurate records, respecting confidentiality, being open when things go wrong, and putting service users' safety and interests first. There are also the CPD standards, so I know I need to keep an ongoing record of my learning and show how it's improved my practice, because I could be audited when I renew my registration.

The RCSLT is our professional body, and I see it as where I go for the "how". Its guidance on things like dysphagia, eating and drinking with acknowledged risks, and working with children with speech, language and communication needs is where I'd look first if I'm unsure what good practice looks like. It also has guidance and competencies for newly qualified practitioners, which I'm planning to use as a structure for my first year with my supervisor.

What that looks like for me practically is being really honest about scope. As a new therapist I'll be developing dysphagia competencies, and I won't take on things like tracheostomy work or instrumental assessments until I've been trained and signed off. If I'm in a situation where I'm not sure, I'll pause and ask rather than guess.

I'm also a big believer in supervision. I'd want regular protected time with a supervisor, some peer support with other newly qualified therapists, and to reflect on cases properly. I already keep a reflective log from placement, and I'd like to carry that on, linking my reflections to the HCPC standards so my CPD record builds naturally rather than being a scramble.

 

Why this answer works

The answer shows clear understanding of the difference between the regulator and the professional body and gives practical examples of how each guides everyday work. It highlights scope of practice, competency development, supervision and CPD in a way that suits a newly qualified SLT.

 

Key points to include

• Distinguish the HCPC as regulator from the RCSLT as professional body
• Name the key HCPC standards, including CPD
• Use RCSLT guidance as a practical reference
• Work within scope and develop competencies with sign-off
• Use supervision and reflection to drive learning

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Confusing the HCPC with the RCSLT
• Treating standards as a box-ticking exercise
• Overstating what you can do independently as a new therapist
• Saying nothing about supervision or CPD

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Improving lives; HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics; HCPC Standards of continuing professional development

 

Further reading

• HCPC Standards of proficiency: Speech and language therapists
• HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
• HCPC Standards of continuing professional development
• RCSLT guidance for newly qualified practitioners

 

 

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