25th June 2024
One key component of a med school interview is the NHS questions you may be faced with. From the values of the NHS to the current problems facing the NHS, there are various questions you may be tasked with answering, so it is important to practice your answers before your interview.
Let’s look at the potential NHS interview questions you may come across and the best ways to answer them in this guide.
You may be asked a range of NHS interview questions in your med school interview, including what the values of the NHS are and how you would change how the NHS operates. Here is a breakdown of the different types of NHS questions and what they mean.
The NHS values are a key element of med school interviews, so you must know what they are. The 6 NHS core values are:
Other than the key question of “What are the core values of the NHS?”, the values of the NHS can actually be weaved into your other answers. For instance, you could provide examples of when you have seen doctors display respect and dignity towards patients or when you have taken an extra step to ensure you were providing the best quality of care to your patients during your work experience.
For more information on how to smoothly mention the NHS values in your medical school interviews, take a look at our guide here.
The structure of the NHS can also be asked in your medical school interview. For example, understanding the different components of the NHS and how funding is distributed is essential to answering specific questions about the NHS.
To answer this question, you must understand the structure of the NHS and how it is funded. From top to bottom, the NHS’s funding begins with the HM Treasury and ends with different streams, including Public Health Spending, Nationally Commissioned Services, and Locally Commissioned Services.
These interview questions are centred on current issues in the NHS and any problems the NHS may be facing. To ensure you have the most up-to-date information, you could set up an alert on your phone so you are notified of all of the latest news about the NHS.
Some past NHS Hot Topic interview questions include:
The best way to answer these types of questions is to provide context, the key points of the case and why the case is important. For example, if you were asked, “What happened in the Charlie Gard case?” you would structure your answer like this:
Similar to the NHS Hot Topics portion of med school interviews, NHS challenges focus on the more general problems facing the NHS. This includes areas such as the ageing population, privatisation, understaffing and areas where the NHS might need more funding.
With people living longer, till their 80s, 90s and even 100s, healthcare has become more complicated. For instance, the older generations now have various health conditions that interact and need more complex treatments. This differs from previous generations that may have had only one health condition. This is a challenge the NHS of today commonly faces, so it is crucial you research this topic further.
A core value of the NHS is a Commitment to Quality of Care. With the idea of privatisation, the NHS would not be able to provide high-quality care that is free to all as it was set up to be. Privatisation would make the system more like that of the US.
With UK healthcare workers moving abroad to places like Australia for better working conditions and Brexit making it more difficult for international staff to stay in the UK, the number of healthcare workers available is stretched thin, which can lead to a lower quality of care.
Areas such as social care and GPs may be underfunded, causing inequalities in healthcare in some regions of the UK. An example of underfunding is that some elderly patients have had to remain in geriatric wards because care homes lack capacity and staff.
Over the years, the wait times for healthcare have increased. This has disproportionately affected areas such as mental health services and psychiatry, where wait lists are exceptionally long compared to physical healthcare.
By understanding the core values of the NHS, current issues in the NHS and how the NHS is structured, you can successfully answer any NHS or related questions you may be asked in your medical school interview. Remember to keep up-to-date with NHS news to ensure you have the latest information!
The NHS is not the only topic you should mention in your interviews. You should also mention your own experiences. That’s where PreMed can help. We offer a range of in-person and online medical school work experience courses to help you provide clear examples of your own experiences during your med school applications and interviews. Take a look at our courses and apply online today!
To show your interviewer you understand the challenges the NHS currently faces, you should do some research before your med school interview. Here are some examples of the top 5 challenges facing the NHS today:
The 7-Day NHS refers to the initiative that the NHS should provide the same level of healthcare seven days a week. It is currently being introduced around the UK. While the 7-Day NHS does have its benefits such as more flexibility for healthcare workers, it can also lead to longer working hours leading to issues with work-life balance.
The NHS is divided into several different parts. Some key areas you should know about include:
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