About the NHS & Healthcare tests
~8 min read · Updated April 2026
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 Computer-Based Test (CBT) for overseas-trained nurses. A failed assessment can delay a career move by months or, for international nurses, delay a UK move by a full year.
Our free NHS practice tests cover all four assessment types so you can apply with confidence whether you're a school leaver, an internationally educated nurse, or a returning healthcare professional. Every question is written to UK standards using NHS terminology, NICE guidelines and the NMC Code rather than US or Commonwealth nursing conventions.
What the assessments actually involve
NHS numeracy and literacy assessments are usually delivered online before interview, with a 30–45 minute time limit. Drug calculations dominate the numeracy paper. Values-Based Recruitment is delivered either as a written scenario test or as part of a structured interview.
The NMC CBT is the formal entry test for overseas-trained nurses applying to register in the UK. The full test has 115 questions over 3 hours: 15 numeracy questions in Part A and 100 clinical multiple-choice questions in Part B. It is taken at a Pearson VUE centre worldwide. You must pass the CBT before you can sit the OSCE in the UK.
What's tested
NHS numeracy assessments cover drug calculations (mg/kg, IV infusions, drops per minute), basic arithmetic, percentages, fluid balance and unit conversions.
NHS literacy tests cover comprehension, spelling, grammar and the ability to summarise written information accurately. Many tests include a passage-and-questions section based on a clinical scenario.
Values-Based Recruitment uses scenarios mapped to the NHS Constitution (compassion, respect, dignity, working together, commitment to quality of care). The NMC CBT has two parts: Part A is a 15-mark numeracy assessment, and Part B is 100 four-option multiple-choice clinical questions covering Professional Values, Communication and Interpersonal Skills, Nursing Practice and Decision-Making, and Leadership, Management and Team Working.
How to study and pass
For drug calculations, always write out the formula (Required dose ÷ Stock dose × Stock volume) and double-check your decimal place. Most failures come from misplaced decimals, not wrong formulas.
For values-based questions, anchor every answer in patient safety and the 6Cs (Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage, Commitment). When in doubt, choose the answer that protects the patient first and the team second.
For the NMC CBT, focus revision on UK-specific practice (NICE guidelines, the Mental Capacity Act, safeguarding, Duty of Candour) — 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 and long-division on paper.
Common mistakes to avoid
On numeracy, a careless decimal place is the single biggest cause of failure. Always double-check by estimating the answer first — a vial of 50mg in 5ml giving a 25mg dose should be 2.5ml, not 0.25ml or 25ml.
On values questions, candidates often pick the answer that 'keeps the team happy' over the answer that protects the patient. Patient safety always wins, even if it means escalating against a colleague's wishes.
On the NMC CBT, running out of time on the final 30 questions is common because candidates over-think the early ones. Aim for 90 seconds per question and flag anything that takes longer.
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% — and given a CBT re-sit costs £83 plus the Pearson VUE booking delay, that's a meaningful return on free practice.
For internationally educated nurses, the gap between clinical competence and CBT pass rate is almost entirely down to UK-specific context: NICE, NMC Code, Mental Capacity Act, safeguarding, Duty of Candour. Practice tests built around UK terminology close that gap faster than re-reading nursing textbooks from your home country.
Booking and what to expect on the day
Book the NMC CBT through Pearson VUE once your NMC application has reached the right stage. The fee is £83 in 2026 and slots are available worldwide, usually within two weeks. NHS pre-employment numeracy and literacy tests are sent by the trust as an emailed link with a deadline of around five working days.
On the day, arrive 30 minutes early with one piece of valid photo ID matching the name on your booking. Phones, watches and bags go into lockers. The CBT is taken on a Pearson VUE workstation; you can request earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones at check-in.
Results for the CBT are emailed within 48 hours. NHS internal numeracy and literacy results are usually returned to the recruiting trust within three days; you'll typically hear back from the recruiter within a week.