Here’s a trust-specific example you can drop straight into the pack. Here we used Barts Health NHS Trust and The Royal London Hospital (RLH) as the example site.

Trust: Barts Health NHS Trust, The Royal London Hospital Hyper-acute Stroke Unit (HASU), North East London ICB

Local context you’re expected to know: RLH is a hyper-acute stroke centre with a 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy service and rapid hyper-acute pathways; repatriation to local stroke units and Early Supported Discharge (ESD) is coordinated within the London Stroke Network/ISDN. 

Panel question

“You are the band 5 physiotherapist on the RLH hyper-acute stroke unit. A 72-year-old person arrives with a right MCA ischaemic stroke, is triaged for imaging, receives thrombectomy overnight and is now medically stable on day 2. Please outline your assessment and immediate rehabilitation plan for the next 24-48 hours, how you would prepare safe repatriation or ESD, and what you would communicate to the MDT and family.”

What a strong answer should cover

1. Immediate safety and screens
   Observations, haemodynamic stability, pain, delirium screen if indicated, swallow status, moving and handling plan. Align mobilisation timing and dose with RCP 2023 guidance post-AVERT: short, frequent mobilisations typically starting 24-48 hours for assisted patients, and only within 24 hours if minimal or no help required.

2. Focused assessment
   Neurological examination, sitting balance, bed mobility, transfers, first steps as safe, and practical outcome measures such as PASS, Berg, TUG or 10-metre walk. Clear written safety notes for nursing.

3. Early rehab plan
   Task-specific practice in short bouts, cueing and errorless learning as needed, positioning and pressure care, upper limb protection and early practice, respiratory checks after GA or sedation used for thrombectomy, education for person and carers.

4. Pathway logistics at RLH

• Acknowledge RLH’s role as a HASU and the expectation of timely repatriation to the correct local stroke unit using the London lookup and network agreements once clinically appropriate.

• If the person lives in Tower Hamlets or nearby boroughs, consider ESD eligibility and the community stroke team model used locally. Note that London specifications highlight the Tower Hamlets stroke ESD as an exemplar for coordinated handover and seven-day continuity. 

5. MDT communication + family involvement
   Structured handover with goals, risks, supervision level, and equipment. Set one or two shared goals for the next day and confirm who is doing what. Provide clear, jargon-free updates to the family.

6. Discharge readiness / preparation
   Check home environment, carer availability, transport, and support needs. Escalate social or safeguarding concerns early. Agree written plans and contacts.

Follow-up questions the panel might use

• “What are your indications to delay or pause mobilisation after thrombectomy?”

• “How do you decide between repatriation to a local unit versus ESD from RLH?”

• “What would you do if the person’s BP drops when first standing?”

• “Which outcome measures would you repeat before transfer and why?”

What interviewers look for

• Safety first, guideline aware: Quote RCP 2023 mobilisation timing and dose succinctly; avoids very early high-dose for dependent patients.

• Functional focus: Clear priorities, measurable goals, and relevant outcome measures.

• Local pathway literacy: States RLH is a HASU, notes 24/7 thrombectomy service at Barts Health, and understands London repatriation/ESD processes. 

• MDT communication: Specific handover content and role clarity.

• Person-centred practice: Involves family, checks capacity and consent, considers equity and access.

References for this scenario

• RLH is a hyper-acute stroke centre within Barts Health. Barts Health NHS Trust

• Barts Health thrombectomy service operates 24/7. Barts Health NHS Trust

• London Stroke Clinical Network and postcode-based repatriation tool. NHS England

• London ESD service specification highlighting Tower Hamlets model. NHS England

• RCP National Clinical Guideline for Stroke, 2023 update.

and don't forget:

• NICE NG128: diagnosis and initial management of stroke and TIA in over-16s. Last reviewed March 2025.

  NICE NG236: stroke rehabilitation in adults, 2023.

  National service model for integrated community stroke services, 2022. ESD and community rehab design.

________________

Be aware that this is only a single example of a question and its suggested answer, and depending on the type of job, the place of work, or even the interview panel members, you might need to adapt and/or provide other elements in your answer.

If you'd like to know more, see other questions and answers, and even have a go at practising them, you can grab our interview preparation packs or book on one of our one-to-one sessions.

Related products:

Neuro interview preparation pack