You are the on-call junior doctor on a psychiatric ward. The nursing staff inform you that an informal patient wants to leave. They are very concerned about the patient's safety as she has been expressing suicidal thoughts. What do you do?

Tips to guide your answer

- Section 5(2) is the doctor's holding power - allows detention of an informal inpatient for up to 72 hours

- Can only be used for a patient who is already an inpatient - not for patients in A&E or outpatient settings

- The doctor completing the form must be the Responsible Clinician or their nominated deputy

- Section 5(4) is the nurse's holding power - lasts up to 6 hours, used only if a doctor is not immediately available

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How to approach this Psychiatry interview question

This ethics question is common in Psychiatry NHS interviews because it reveals how you think under interview pressure, not just what facts you can recall. Use "You are the on-call junior doctor on a psychiatric ward. The nursing staff inform you..." 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 psychiatry, risk assessment, capacity, legislation, rapport, and multidisciplinary planning are usually central. Keep the answer humane, structured, and legally aware.

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.

Section 5(2) is the doctor's holding power - allows detention of an informal inpatient for up to 72 hours
Can only be used for a patient who is already an inpatient - not for patients in A&E or outpatient settings
The doctor completing the form must be the Responsible Clinician or their nominated deputy