EDI scenarios are an increasingly common and important part of NHS interviews, reflecting the GMC’s 2024 updates to Good Medical Practice (Domain 3) and the NHS’s commitment to creating inclusive workplaces and reducing health inequalities. The Equality Act 2010 provides the legal framework, protecting nine characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Scenario: Patient Requests a Doctor of a Specific Gender or Ethnicity
This scenario tests your ability to balance patient preferences with principles of equality and non-discrimination. Your approach: acknowledge the patient’s preference sensitively and explore the reason behind it (there may be a legitimate clinical or cultural reason — for example, a victim of sexual assault may prefer a female examiner). Where possible and practical, try to accommodate the preference without judgement. However, if the request is based on discriminatory prejudice (e.g., “I don’t want to be treated by a doctor from that background”), explain respectfully that all doctors are trained to the same standards, that the trust has an equality policy, and that refusing treatment from a specific doctor on grounds of race or ethnicity is not something the trust can facilitate. If the patient insists and alternative arrangements cannot be reasonably made, continue to provide the best care you can while maintaining your professionalism and self-respect. Document the interaction.
Scenario: Witnessing Discrimination or Harassment
GMC Good Medical Practice 2024 (Domain 3) explicitly states that doctors must “challenge the behaviour of colleagues who bully, harass or discriminate against patients, trainees or colleagues.” If you witness a colleague making a racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise discriminatory comment, your answer should include: (1) Address the behaviour at the time if it is safe to do so — “That comment was inappropriate and not in line with our trust values.” (2) Support the person who was targeted. (3) Escalate formally — report to your consultant, clinical supervisor, or the trust’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion lead. (4) Document what you witnessed. This is not optional — the GMC requires you to take action.
Unconscious Bias in Clinical Decision-Making
The panel may ask about unconscious bias — the implicit attitudes and stereotypes that can affect clinical decisions without conscious awareness. Examples include: prescribing stronger analgesia for some patient groups and weaker for others, taking symptoms less seriously in certain demographics, or making assumptions about treatment compliance based on socioeconomic status. In your answer, demonstrate awareness that unconscious bias exists, that you actively reflect on your own practice to identify and mitigate it, and that evidence-based guidelines and protocols help reduce the impact of bias on clinical decisions.