NHS Interview Questions: Communication
Communication is one of the Six Cs of nursing and midwifery and is treated as a core clinical skill, not a soft one. Panels test it in several directions at once: with patients and families, with the multidisciplinary team, in handover and in what you write in the notes. They are also assessing how you communicate in the interview itself, which is the uncomfortable bit. If you ramble when you are nervous, this is the value to practise out loud first.
What "Communication" means in the NHS
Within the Six Cs framework, communication means that we must ensure that people have positive experiences of the NHS as employers and providers of care. Communication is described as central to successful caring relationships and to effective team working. Effective clinical communication encompasses verbal communication (including active listening, giving information clearly and checking understanding), written communication (accurate, concise and contemporaneous record-keeping), and structured communication tools such as SBAR (Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation) for handover and escalation. Poor communication is repeatedly cited in NHS serious incident reviews as a contributing factor in patient harm, which is why it is one of the most closely assessed competencies at interview.
Example interview questions
NHS panels come at this value from a few different angles. Bring one real shift, one real patient, one thing you actually did.
- Tell me about a time you communicated complex or distressing information to a patient or their family. How did you approach it?
- Give me an example of using the SBAR tool to escalate a concern about a patient's deterioration.
- Describe a situation where a communication breakdown in your team affected patient care and what you did about it.
- How do you adapt your communication for patients with hearing impairment, learning disabilities or limited English?
- Tell me about a time your written documentation contributed to continuity of care for a patient.
A strong example answer
Whilst on placement in an acute medical ward, I was caring for a patient who was showing signs of clinical deterioration. His respiratory rate had risen to 24 breaths per minute, his oxygen saturations had dropped to 93% on room air and he reported feeling increasingly breathless. I needed to escalate to the registrar promptly and clearly.
I used the SBAR framework to structure my call. I identified myself and the ward, then stated the Situation: the patient's deterioration and his current observations. I provided Background, covering his admission diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia and his most recent set of observations four hours earlier. I gave my Assessment, which was that his respiratory status had worsened and I was concerned about potential respiratory failure. I made a clear Recommendation, asking the registrar to review him as soon as possible.
The registrar came within ten minutes, ordered a chest X-ray and escalated the patient's care pathway. He was moved to a higher-dependency bay and his oxygen was increased. The registrar later told me that the clarity of my handover had enabled her to prioritise the call correctly.
This experience confirmed to me that structured communication tools are not bureaucratic formalities. They are patient safety tools that get the right information to the right person at the right time.
Evidence you can draw on
On a values question, a named example beats a good intention every single time.
- Clinical placement experience using structured communication tools such as SBAR for escalation or NEWS-triggered responses.
- Experience communicating sensitively with patients or families in distressing circumstances, such as breaking bad news, explaining diagnoses or discussing end-of-life care.
- Examples of adapting communication for patients with specific needs: dementia, hearing impairment, learning disabilities or limited English proficiency.
- Non-clinical communication experience in teaching, customer service, helpline work or mediation that developed clear and empathetic communication skills.
- Evidence of accurate, timely written record-keeping in any professional setting.
Tips for a strong answer
Say your example out loud before the panel. Sounding rehearsed is fine. Sounding vague is what costs you.
- Use the language of clinical communication frameworks such as SBAR. Naming the tool signals familiarity with how NHS teams actually escalate.
- Show that you change register for the audience. You would not speak to a frightened patient the way you brief an MDT.
- The panel is scoring your communication as you answer, not only the story you tell. Speak slowly, structure the answer, and stop when you are done.
- Reference the NMC standards on record-keeping if you talk about written communication. It shows you understand the regulatory side.
Frequently asked questions
What is SBAR in nursing?
SBAR stands for Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation. It is a structured communication framework used in NHS nursing and other healthcare settings to ensure that clinical information is conveyed clearly and concisely, particularly when escalating concerns about a deteriorating patient or during handover.
Why is communication listed as one of the Six Cs of nursing?
Communication is listed as one of the Six Cs because poor communication is a leading cause of patient harm in healthcare settings. Effective nursing requires the ability to build therapeutic relationships with patients, work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and document care accurately, and all three depend on high-quality communication.
How do I demonstrate communication skills at an NHS interview?
Use a specific example that shows one or more dimensions of clinical communication: speaking with a patient, escalating to a colleague, adapting your approach for someone with specific needs, or making sure written records were accurate and timely. Show that you know and use structured tools such as SBAR.