You need to tell the parents of a 2-year-old that their child has been diagnosed with leukaemia. How would you approach breaking this news?
- Use the SPIKES framework: Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Empathy, Summary/Strategy
- In paediatrics, adapt SPIKES: consider whether the child should be present (age-dependent), ensure both parents are present if possible
- Private, quiet room away from the ward; adequate time without interruptions
- Have a specialist nurse present (in oncology, the key worker/clinical nurse specialist)
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How to approach this Paediatrics interview question
This communication question is common in Paediatrics NHS interviews because it reveals how you think under interview pressure, not just what facts you can recall. Use "You need to tell the parents of a 2-year-old that their child has been diagnosed with..." as the anchor for a concise answer with a clear opening, a clinical or professional structure, and a reflective close.
What the panel is testing
A strong communication answer shows tone, listening, and boundaries. The panel is looking for empathy and clarity, but also for evidence that you can keep the conversation clinically safe and involve the right people. For paediatrics, include the child, family, safeguarding context, and senior support early. Interviewers want safe clinical reasoning and family-centred communication.
- Show that you listen first, check understanding, and adapt your language to the patient or colleague.
- Use a calm structure for difficult conversations, including empathy, signposting, and safety-netting.
- Explain how you would involve seniors, interpreters, relatives, or the wider team when appropriate.
How to structure your answer
For a communication prompt, aim for a short opening sentence, then two or three evidence-led points, then a final reflection. If you use STAR, keep the result and reflection as strong as the situation. If it is a clinical scenario, say what you would do now, what you would do next, and how you would keep the patient safe while help is coming.
- Open by naming the main issue in the question.
- Give a structured response rather than a memorised script.
- End with escalation, documentation, learning, or follow-up.
Common mistakes to avoid
The weakest answers usually stay too vague, ignore the specific role, or miss the safety issue hidden in the question. Do not use this page to memorise a perfect paragraph. Use it to rehearse the shape of a safe answer, then adapt it to your own experience and the post you are applying for.
- Use the SPIKES framework: Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Empathy, Summary/Strategy
- In paediatrics, adapt SPIKES: consider whether the child should be present (age-dependent), ensure both parents are present if possible
- Private, quiet room away from the ward; adequate time without interruptions