A 14-year-old with a known chronic condition refuses a blood transfusion that the medical team considers necessary. The parents support the child's decision. What do you do?
- A child under 16, even if Gillick competent, cannot definitively refuse treatment that is in their best interests - their refusal can be overridden by a person with parental responsibility or by the court
- Ages 16 - 17: presumed to have capacity (Family Law Reform Act 1969), BUT their refusal can ALSO be overridden (unlike adults)
- Only at age 18 does an individual gain the absolute right to refuse treatment
- Explore the reasons for refusal: religious beliefs, fear, needle phobia, misunderstanding
Sign in to unlock speak mode
Sign in to record answers, use your free attempts, and build an attempt history.
How to approach this Paediatrics interview question
This ethics question is common in Paediatrics NHS interviews because it reveals how you think under interview pressure, not just what facts you can recall. Use "A 14-year-old with a known chronic condition refuses a blood transfusion that the..." 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 ethics answer makes the competing duties visible. Name the principle or legal issue, then describe the practical steps you would take in the hospital: gather facts, assess capacity where relevant, seek advice, document, and protect the patient. For paediatrics, include the child, family, safeguarding context, and senior support early. Interviewers want safe clinical reasoning and family-centred communication.
- Identify the ethical tension before jumping to a decision: capacity, consent, confidentiality, best interests, or law.
- Use local policy and senior advice, and be explicit about safeguarding or immediate patient-safety concerns.
- Balance respect for autonomy with professional duties, documentation, and clear communication.
How to structure your answer
For a ethics 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.
- A child under 16, even if Gillick competent, cannot definitively refuse treatment that is in their best interests - their refusal can be overridden by a person with parental responsibility or by the court
- Ages 16 - 17: presumed to have capacity (Family Law Reform Act 1969), BUT their refusal can ALSO be overridden (unlike adults)
- Only at age 18 does an individual gain the absolute right to refuse treatment