Topics covered
The practice questions cover 12 themes, each marked against four skill areas. Every theme has a playbook describing what usually ranks high and low.
Four skill areas
| Area | What it tests | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Professional integrity | Honesty, taking responsibility, putting patients first, challenging wrongdoing. | 57 |
| Coping with pressure | Prioritising, managing workload and personal pressures, asking for help. | 55 |
| Empathy & communication | Seeing the other person’s view, being patient-centred, explaining clearly. | 57 |
| Working in a team | Supporting colleagues, resolving conflict, respecting roles. | 55 |
Twelve themes
| Theme | Questions | Playbook |
|---|---|---|
| Candour & your own errors | 17 | Read the playbook |
| Raising concerns about colleagues | 19 | Read the playbook |
| Consent & capacity | 22 | Read the playbook |
| Confidentiality & information | 19 | Read the playbook |
| Safeguarding & vulnerable patients | 18 | Read the playbook |
| Working within competence & safe conditions | 19 | Read the playbook |
| Communication & complaints | 20 | Read the playbook |
| Prioritising & workload | 18 | Read the playbook |
| Team relationships & feedback | 19 | Read the playbook |
| Health & wellbeing | 17 | Read the playbook |
| Probity: honesty, records & rules | 19 | Read the playbook |
| Money, NHS & private care | 17 | Read the playbook |
Question formats
| Format | What you do | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking: actions | Rank five actions from most to least appropriate. | 111 |
| Ranking: considerations | Rank five considerations from most to least important. | 31 |
| Best three of eight | Choose the three most appropriate of eight actions. | 82 |
See the pattern guide for how answers are keyed and the playbooks for each theme.