Current NHS Hot Topics (UK) & How To Discuss Them In Your Medical School Interview
Applying to medicine? Interview stations favour NHS current affairs. Below you’ll find around 12 high-yield UK topics, each with: what it is (clear, up-to-date explanation), why it matters (impact on patients, staff, budgets), how to discuss it (likely questions + talking points), and which qualities to demonstrate. Save this, practise aloud, and include examples from your own experiences.
👉 Want structured practice? Book our Medical School Interview Course — taught by NHS doctors who teach at 3 UK medical schools: bluepeanut.com/medical-school-interview
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How to use this guide
For each hot topic, learn the What it is and Why it matters (expanded below with authoritative sources), then rehearse the How to talk about it prompts.
Link your points to applicant qualities (empathy, teamwork, leadership, integrity, insight into the NHS).
Use simple, compassionate language and balanced viewpoints.
Add a quick local example (e.g., something in your area or in national news).
1) Elective backlogs & waiting lists 🕒
What it is :
The NHS elective (planned) care backlog refers to patients waiting for non-urgent tests and treatments (from cataract surgery to joint replacements). Lists grew after COVID and further pressures. As of August 2025, the England waiting list stood at ~7.4 million, down from the 2023 peak but still far above pre-pandemic levels; the 18-week target hasn’t been met since 2016.
Key recovery levers include surgical hubs (ring-fenced elective theatres), extended sessions, independent sector use, and Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) to ramp up scans and checks. As of 2024/25, there are ~170 CDC sites with extended hours to boost throughput.
Why it matters :
Long waits worsen pain, disability and job loss risk; some conditions deteriorate and become harder (or costlier) to treat. Surgical hubs and CDCs are designed to decouple planned care from emergency pressures, improving productivity and flow, which is essential for restoring 18-week performance over this Parliament.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Possible questions: “What causes the backlog?” “Should the NHS buy more capacity from the private sector?”
Key points: Causes (COVID, staffing, bed flow), solutions (hubs, CDCs, more innovative scheduling), ethics (equity & transparency), and the importance of communication with patients who wait.
Applicant qualities: Empathy for waiting patients, systems thinking, fairness, and clear communication.
2) Workforce: recruitment, retention & training 👩⚕️👨⚕️
What it is:
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (2023) commits to doubling medical school places to 15,000 by 2031/32, expanding GP training to 6,000 places and growing apprenticeships — a generational shift to train more domestically. Vacancy rates have eased (overall NHS vacancy rate ~6.9% June 2025 vs 7.7% a year earlier), but pressure remains uneven across roles/regions.
Why it matters:
Staffing drives patient safety, access and morale. Training takes years, so retention (flexible careers, wellbeing, culture) and skill-mix innovation (e.g., expanded roles) are as important as raw numbers. The plan’s scale is historic — but delivery depends on funded placements, educators, and clinical capacity.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “Is international recruitment ethical?” “How do we keep staff?”
Key points: Balance domestic training with ethical international recruitment; wellbeing, leadership and career development; productivity links (right staff, right place).
Applicant qualities: Teamwork, leadership, insight into staff wellbeing.
3) Urgent & Emergency Care (UEC) pressures 🚑
What it is :
A&E and ambulances face sustained demand. The share waiting >4 hours in A&E was ~38.9% in Sept 2025 (better than the 2022 nadir but still off target). Ambulance Category 2 response times have improved from winter 2022 lows, but remain outside pre-pandemic ambitions. Recovery plans aim to reduce waits and speed handovers.
Why it matters :
Emergency delays risk harm (e.g., for stroke/MI). Bottlenecks often stem from bed availability and discharge delays, so solutions span front-door streaming, same-day emergency care, virtual wards and better community capacity — not just “more A&E doctors”.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “How would you fix corridor care?”
Key points: Whole-system flow, ambulance handovers, same-day emergency care, and social care integration.
Applicant qualities: Calm under pressure, teamwork across departments, patient-centred priorities.
4) Discharge delays & adult social care capacity 🛏️➡️🏠
What it is:
Many medically fit patients remain in hospital awaiting care packages or placements (“delayed discharge”). CQC’s State of Care 2023/24 highlights continuing capacity gaps in adult social care, affecting hospital flow. Latest Skills for Care data shows the adult social care vacancy rate fell to ~7.0% in 2024/25 (down from 10.5% in 2021/22) — progress, but workforce fragility persists.
Why it matters:
Delays block beds, impede A&E flow/ambulance offloads, increase hospital-acquired harms, and are distressing for patients and carers. Sustained improvement needs home care capacity, rehab/intermediate care, housing and community support, plus data-sharing and joint commissioning with social care.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “Should the NHS fund social care?”
Key points: System interdependence, prevention/rehab, personalised discharge planning, multidisciplinary coordination.
Applicant qualities: Advocacy, holistic thinking, respect for carers.
5) Health inequalities & Core20PLUS5 ⚖️
What it is:
Core20PLUS5 is NHS England’s framework to reduce healthcare inequalities by targeting the most deprived 20%plus locally defined “PLUS” groups (e.g., inclusion health), and focusing on five clinical priorities (for adults) such as maternity, severe mental illness, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension, and early cancer diagnosis; there’s also a children & young people version.
Why it matters:
Inequalities drive worse access, experience and outcomes. Core20PLUS5 helps systems prioritise effort and measure impact — shifting from generic strategies to targeted, data-led action and NICE-aligned interventions.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “How should the NHS prioritise?”
Key points: Proportionate universalism, community engagement, culturally competent care,
Applicant qualities: Cultural humility, empathy, fairness, data-awareness.
6) AI, data & digital (EPRs, NHS App, FDP) 🤖📱
What it is :
Digitisation includes near-universal Electronic Patient Records, growing NHS App use (37.4 million registered; ~11.4m monthly logins), and features like prescription tracking and barcode collection. Policy also includes shared data infrastructure (e.g., a Federated Data Platform to connect data lawfully across settings) and regulated AI decision-support.
Why it matters:
Done well, digital tools reduce admin, speed diagnosis, and empower patients (fewer DNAs, quicker results, better triage). Risks include bias, safety, interoperability, and digital exclusion — so transparent governance and strong regulation are vital.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “Should AI triage patients?” “Data sharing vs privacy?”
Key points: Safety and regulation, evidence of benefit, inclusion (analogue options), cyber security, and clinical accountability.
Applicant qualities: Tech-literacy, ethics, clarity about limits of AI.
Book our Medical School Interview Course – taught by NHS doctors who teach at 3 UK Medical Schools.→ https://bluepeanut.com/medical-school-interview
Run a full MMI mock circuit with personalised feedback. → https://bluepeanut.com/mmi-courses
7) Climate & a Greener NHS 🌍💨
What it is:
The NHS aims for net zero: direct emissions by 2040 and the wider footprint by 2045. Actions range from energy upgrades in estates to low-carbon travel, to decommissioning high-GWP anaesthetic gases (e.g., desflurane) and greener inhalers/supply chains.
Why it matters:
Climate change is a health threat multiplier (heat, air pollution, extreme weather). Cutting emissions protects patients now and in the future, while efficiency measures can free up resources for care.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “Is net zero compatible with patient safety?”
Key points: Co-benefits (asthma, heart disease), safe clinical alternatives (e.g., TIVA instead of desflurane), equity (don’t penalise the digitally excluded).
Applicant qualities: Stewardship, evidence-based practice, systems thinking.
8) Primary care access & modernisation 🩺📞
What it is:
The Modern General Practice Access model uses care navigation, online/phone triage, and digital telephony to swiftly match patients to the right professional. The NHS App now supports appointment management, results viewing and prescription services on a national scale.
Why it matters:
Better access routes reduce the “8 am rush”, improve continuity for complex needs, and shift simpler care to pharmacy/physio where appropriate — while retaining face-to-face when needed. Data from cloud telephony also helps practices manage demand.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “Are online forms fair?”
Key points: Offer multi-channel options; support the digitally excluded; value continuity alongside rapid access.
Applicant qualities: Communication, adaptability, fairness.
9) NHS dentistry access 🦷
What it is:
Access remains a significant concern. In 2024/25, ~6.9 million children were seen in 12 months; adult coverage over 24 months remains well below pre-pandemic levels in many areas. Workforce numbers with NHS activity rose slightly (~24,543 dentists), but regional variation persists.
Why it matters :
Poor access leads to pain, infections, missed school/work and widening inequalities. Policy tweaks alone haven’t solved structural contract issues; prevention (water fluoridation/oral health programmes) and workforce reform are often cited priorities.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “How would you fix NHS dentistry?”
Key points: Prevention focus, incentives for NHS activity in underserved areas, fair contracts, link to child health/inequalities.
Applicant qualities: Advocacy, equity focus, public health mindset.
10) Patient safety & a learning culture (PSIRF, Martha’s Rule) 🧭
What it is :
The Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) replaces the old Serious Incident Framework, promoting proportionate, systems-based learning and compassionate involvement of patients/families. Martha’s Rule — now rolling out to all acute hospitals — lets patients/families trigger a 24/7 rapid review by a separate clinical team if worried about deterioration.
Why it matters :
PSIRF and Martha’s Rule strengthen psychological safety, transparency and early escalation, which are core to safer care and trust. The emphasis shifts from blame to learning and improvement.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “What does a ‘just culture’ mean?”
Key points: Systems thinking (human factors), openness/duty of candour, family voice, escalation pathways.
Applicant qualities: Integrity, compassion, reflective practice.
11) Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) 🧩
What it is
ICSs bring together NHS providers, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and local authorities to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities, enhance productivity and support wider social/economic development. They’re the centrepiece of the Health and Care Act 2022 reforms.
Why it matters:
Integration shifts focus from organisational silos to population health, prevention and community care, enabling joint planning across NHS, social care and public health. Success depends on local flexibility, data sharing and shared accountability. The King's Fund
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “How do ICSs help patients feel the difference?”
Key points: Shared outcomes, primary/community investment, tackling inequalities across a place.
Applicant qualities: Collaboration, big-picture thinking, leadership.
12) Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) 🧫
What it is:
The UK’s 2024–2029 AMR National Action Plan takes a One Health approach: preventing infections, optimising antibiotic use, and incentivising innovation. The NHS has pioneered a subscription model paying a fixed annual fee for high-value antibiotics — decoupling revenue from volume to preserve stewardship.
Why it matters:
AMR threatens modern medicine (from sepsis to cancer care). Stewardship plus incentives for new drugs are essential to keep antibiotics effective and available. This is a global patient-safety and equity issue.
How to talk about it in an interview:
Questions: “Why pay for antibiotics we hope not to use?”
Key points: Stewardship vs access, diagnostics, infection prevention, and global collaboration.
Applicant qualities: Ethical reasoning, public health awareness, science literacy.
Top tips for discussing NHS hot topics in an interview 💡
Structure your answers (🟢What it is → 🔵Why it matters → 🟡Solutions → 🔴Your role as a future doctor).
Balance pros and cons; avoid “silver bullets”.
Be compassionate: always bring it back to patients and staff.
Think system-wide: many problems (e.g., A&E waits) are solved outside A&E.
Use simple language and one clear stat or example per topic (avoid data-dumps).
Practice aloud with timed stations; get feedback on clarity and empathy.
Link to your experiences (teamwork, leadership, dealing with uncertainty).
Quick practice prompts (pick 3 tonight!)
“How should the NHS cut waiting lists fairly?”
“Is AI a help or a hazard in diagnosis?”
“What would you change about NHS dentistry?”
“How can ICSs reduce inequalities in your area?”
“What should happen if a family asks for a second opinion on a ward?”
Want expert help to polish your answers?
Book our Medical School Interview Course – taught by NHS doctors who teach at 3 UK Medical Schools.→ https://bluepeanut.com/medical-school-interview
Run a full MMI mock circuit with personalised feedback. → https://bluepeanut.com/mmi-courses
Sources (selected & recent)
Waiting lists & performance overview (Oct 2025): House of Commons Library. House of Commons Library
Surgical hubs / CDC expansion & diagnostics: NHS England & GOV.UK progress. NHS England
Workforce plan (training expansions) & explainer: NHS England; The King’s Fund. NHS England
UEC recovery and ambulance metrics: NHS England / AQI. NHS England
Discharge & social care capacity: CQC State of Care 2023/24; Skills for Care 2024/25. Care Quality Commission
Core20PLUS5 (adults & CYP): NHS England; NICE mapping. NHS England
NHS App adoption & features; Modern General Practice & digital telephony: NHS England / NHS Digital. NHS England
Greener NHS net-zero & desflurane decommissioning: NHS England (Greener NHS). NHS England
NHS dentistry access & workforce: NHSBSA 2024/25. NHSBSA
Patient safety (PSIRF) & Martha’s Rule roll-out: NHS England / NHS Digital. NHS England
AMR national plan & antibiotic subscription model: GOV.UK; NHS England; NICE.
