NHS interviews
NHS Values-Based Interviews: A Practical Guide
22 September 2026 5 min read
Practise these 4 questions with the AI panelMost NHS trusts now use values-based recruitment. Alongside your clinical or technical skills, the panel scores whether your behaviour matches the NHS Constitution values. Candidates who only talk about tasks often score lower than they expect.
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Answer one question out loud and get scored.
"Tell us about a time you went above and beyond for a patient."
The six NHS values
- 01Working together for patients
- 02Respect and dignity
- 03Commitment to quality of care
- 04Compassion
- 05Improving lives
- 06Everyone counts
What a values question sounds like
"Tell us about a time you went above and beyond for a patient." "Describe a time you challenged poor practice." "How have you made sure someone felt included?" Each one maps to a value, so your answer should show the behaviour clearly.
How to show values, not just say them
Pick real moments: the extra five minutes you spent explaining a procedure to an anxious patient, the time you spoke up when a colleague cut corners, or the change you suggested that improved a process. Describe what you did and why it mattered to the person, using STAR.
Many trusts also include a patient or service-user representative on the panel. Speak in plain English and put the person at the centre of every example.