NHS interview questions

[jobssearch19]

Sorry posting in AIBU for traffic

Have an interview next week for a band 4 admin job within NHS

Does anyone know what type of questions they ask?

Was there a person specification dosument on the job advert? A lot of the time this gives clues as to what they will ask.
If also expect them to ask you how you would maintain patient privacy and dignity when handling confidential patient information.
You could discuss NHS information governence and the role of a Caldicot guardian

digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/looking-after-information/data-security-and-information-governance

They will follow the CQC qualities ie respect, improvement, caring etc

Yeah I have prepared answers to questions with reference to the person spec.

I have answers for all the usual questions why I want this job what I'll bring to the role etc but I know NHS are big on situational questions so just trying to think what kind of things they may ask "....about a time when...."

Also I am NHS Scotland if that makes a difference

Read their website to see what the organisational values are and definitely incorporate those into your responses. They'll probably ask you first about your career so far and then how your skills are relevant to this role (so check the person spec really thoroughly to have answers for that!) Then there'll almost certainly be some competency based questions so 'tell us about a time when....'

You were given a work to complete with a deadline that was difficult to meet

You had to be part of a team to successfully complete a project

You had to show leadership

You were given several pieces of work with competing deadlines

You have had to change your approach to achieve your outcome

You witnessed care/work that wasn't up to the standards you would expect

You had to deal with a difficult patient/client/colleague

Those are some examples you may well get asked. Definitely read up about IG, what's happening in this particular trust and what's going on in the NHS in general. Have a question or two ready for the end. Good luck!

Thats the exact kind of thing Im looking for thank you!

Im hoping just to prepare a couple of scenarios and adapt them to whatever is asked

NHS Manager here! Pick the JD and person spec apart. Your interview should aim to get as much from you as possible to ensure you meet the requirements of these. You don’t say whether this is admin/direct care but regardless of that I agree with the list by backseatonthebus. IG/GDPR is particularly relevant as is quality and patient focus. Good luck

Also NHS supervisor here. In my health board it works on a "point system" so memorise the JD and person spec buzz words and drop them in. Brush up on your health boards Values and Behaviours and any confidentiality policies, like the Caldicott Principles. Good working relationships across all disciplines, Drs, nurses, medical records, housekeepers etc as most posts end up liaising with practically everyone. If relevant drop in "good patient experience" because we look for not only good personal attributes but most importantly the outcome for the patient. Sorry it's a bit muddled - good luck!

Thanks so much both. I am currently band 3 admin so familiar with the system etc just hoping to get this as a promotion.

Yeah I've heard about the points thing ive picked the person spec apart and written it down in my "interview list" of things I want to say thank you!!

When you use examples avoid saying what you WOULD do and say what you DID do

It’s bad interviewing to ask you hypothetical questions so if I am ever asked these myself I will not answer them hypothetically. Hopefully you won’t be asked these and it will be ‘tell me about a time when...’
When coming up with a scenario the most important part of it is what lesson you learnt from it, what you could have done differently. A good interviewer is looking for someone with solutions and ideas
It’s also good to be able to quote all of these things mentioned in the post above but you don’t want it to sound too rehearsed and learnt - I would want to see that it’s ingrained in things you already do.

If you're moving from a B3 to a B4 try and focus on the supervision/senior type elements that are in a D4 role. Think about Delegation, prioritising tasks according to service need, an idea of the SLA and wider picture, building relationships with other teams internally and outside agencies, and a clear idea of how the admin team enhances the service delivered to the patients/service users.
Good luck

I had an interview for a band 4 job last week (am currently band 3. I got it! They asked

Tell us about a time you’ve had to work alone on your own initiative

Why do you think we should give you this job

Tell us about a time you’ve had to deal with a high pressure situation and how you dealt with it

That’s all I can think of off the top of my head! Good luck

Also, try not to have stock answers prepared. I have interviewed people that have reams of notes but they become flustered when their prepared answers don't fit into the questions asked. If you try and shoe horn your prepared answers into a question that doesn't quite match then you will not score high enough as it won't relate to what is actually being asked.
Also lastly, even if it sounds obvious or goes without saying you still need to explicitly state everything, especially regarding buzz words like safeguarding. So many people forget to state the obvious and it brings your score down

I am in NHS Lanarkshire & we use competency based questions but I recently went for an interview at GG&C and they didn’t so it varies trust to trust

Hi has anyone got suggestions for band 8a interview questions to expect please? It is a manager role. Thanks xx

This is great
You ask about an interview for a post and you get

1. Responses from managers who do the interviewing on what they are looking for
2. Responses from people who have just done the interview
3. Responses from people who manage interview processes
4. Advice on how to actually do an interview and how to prepare for it

Generally that would be 500 Pounds
But all free on mumsnet

@ClareBlue thank you, I imagine posting this felt a good use of your time!

If I was doing it I would feel way more confident after reading this thread.
And looking for advice and guidance at appropriate times is surely a skill employees need, so good to OP.
Do we know how it went?

I interviewed several years back now but I remember they gave a number of hypothetical tasks and asked me to prioritise. I also had to to a timed exercise using Excel. My boss said she wanted to appoint me because I’d shown humour, no idea now what I’d said though!

@Hungrybumble you need to start your own thread, this is a zombie one.