Shortlisted: Liam Loftus, Claudia Snudden
Liam Loftus and Claudia Snudden outline their questions and explain their reasons for them.
Questions
- Tell me about the relationship you have with somebody close to you.
- Imagine a scenario where this person was in need of care. Can you describe the care that you would like them to receive?
- If you get this job and stay in it for the long term, how would you like your colleagues to describe your contributions and impact when you eventually retire or move on from this position?
Why these?
The values, skills and behaviours required to provide effective, collaborative care are well-known, and are outlined in the NHS Constitution. That said, if an interviewer was to ask a candidate to share a time where they have espoused one or more of these values, almost all candidates will be able to give at least one example, making separating candidates difficult.
Instead, through asking more personal, abstract questions, the interviewer has a unique opportunity to gain an insight into the candidate’s world. The questions give the candidate space to explore what truly matters to them, and allows the interviewer to assess how aligned the candidate is with our shared purpose.
The questions give the candidate space to explore what truly matters to them, and allows the interviewer to assess how aligned the candidate is with our shared purpose.
Question one allows the candidate to demonstrate their emotional intelligence, a key component of effective collaboration. It also allows them to demonstrate humility and vulnerability, particularly if they choose to share any challenging elements of their relationship. A compassionate person will shine when responding to this question.
Question two explores vision, and the sense to which the candidate grasps our shared purpose. As well as probing their commitment to quality of care, the purposeful lack of direction in this question gives the candidate space to share what elements of care they see as most valuable and most important. An excellent candidate will make clear both their own commitment to quality, as well as the need to collaborate to achieve this.
The final question allows the interviewer to dive into the true, deeper values and behaviours of the candidate, in a sensitive and thoughtful way. The most impressive candidates may reflect upon how they not only wish to provide safe and effective care, but also how they want to work with and alongside others, in order to ensure that care is as safe and joined up as it can be.
About us
Claudia is based in Cambridge and is in her final year of GP training. She is passionate about improving patient outcomes at both an individual and community level. Claudia is currently undertaking a fellowship working with the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) where she is developing her understanding of how data can be used to inform health policy on a national scale.
Liam is a GP Trainee based in Cambridge. He completed the National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow Scheme in 2022, spending a year working with the Primary Care Team at NHS England. He has previously co-led The Big GP Consultation and Next Generation GP. Liam’s desire is to take a step back from his consulting room and consider how we can improve the health and wellbeing of all patients: locally, regionally and nationally. Alongside his clinical work, he is now working part-time to support those facing food poverty in his local community, through working as Health Inequalities Lead at Cambridge City Foodbank.