About the NHS & Healthcare Tests tests
The NHS is the UK's largest employer and uses a battery of recruitment assessments — numeracy and literacy tests, values-based interviews, and the NMC CBT for overseas-trained nurses. Our free NHS practice tests cover all four so you can apply with confidence whether you're a school leaver, an internationally educated nurse, or a returning healthcare professional.
What's tested
NHS numeracy assessments cover drug calculations (mg/kg, IV infusions, drops per minute), basic arithmetic and percentages. NHS literacy tests cover comprehension, spelling and grammar. Values-Based Recruitment uses scenarios mapped to the NHS Constitution (compassion, respect, dignity, working together, commitment to quality of care). The NMC CBT for nurses contains 115 questions across four professional domains.
Tips to pass NHS assessments
For drug calculations, always write out the formula (Required dose ÷ Stock dose × Stock volume) and double-check your decimal place.
For values-based questions, anchor every answer in patient safety and the 6Cs (Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage, Commitment).
For the NMC CBT, focus revision on UK-specific practice (NICE guidelines, the Mental Capacity Act, safeguarding) — overseas nurses usually find the clinical content easier than the UK legal and ethical context.
Bring a calculator to drug-calc tests if permitted. The NMC CBT does not allow calculators on numeracy questions, so practise mental maths.
Why practice tests work for NHS recruitment
NHS recruitment is high-volume and time-pressured for both candidates and hiring panels. Mocks help you avoid the most common reasons for rejection: a careless drug-calc error, a values answer that prioritises the team over the patient, or a mistimed CBT attempt. Twenty hours of mock practice typically lifts NMC CBT first-attempt pass rates from around 70% to over 85%.
Ready to start? Take the NHS Numeracy Test, Take the NHS Literacy Test, Take the NHS Values-Based Recruitment.