CPD courses / Supporting statement examples
NHS supporting statement examples for doctors and IMGs
Last updated: October 2026 · Free guide from CareerPro UK
In short: your supporting statement (called "supporting information" on NHS Jobs and Trac) is where you prove you meet the person specification. Shortlisters score it criterion by criterion. Follow the order of the person specification, give one specific, true example for each essential and desirable criterion, say what you learned and what you will do in this post, and show you understand the Trust and the NHS. You do not need previous NHS experience for most entry-level posts: equivalent experience and a clinical attachment count.
On this page: How to write it · Example paragraphs by criterion · Full worked examples · FAQ
How to write an NHS supporting statement, step by step
- Read the person specification first. List every essential and desirable criterion. Shortlisters score your form against this list, not against your CV.
- Follow the same order. Use the person specification's headings (qualifications, experience, clinical skills, audit, teaching, communication, values) so each point is easy to find and score.
- Give one real example per criterion. Say what you did, the result, and what you learned. Use numbers where you can: patients per shift, audit results, sessions taught.
- Show you understand the NHS. Name NHS systems you know: NEWS2, SBAR handover, board rounds, NICE guidance, incident reporting. If you have no NHS job yet, describe equivalent experience and any clinical attachment.
- Mention the Trust and the post. Show you have read the job description: the rotations, the teaching or research on offer, and the Trust's values.
- Keep audit, teaching and research brief. NHS Jobs and Trac forms usually have separate sections for these. In the statement, name the project, then say what you learned and what you will do in this post.
- Check, then get a second pair of eyes. Remove patient-identifiable details, check spelling, and ask a colleague or reviewer to read it against the person specification.
Example paragraphs for common person specification criteria
These are the criteria that appear on most NHS doctor person specifications. Each example is illustrative: adapt it, and only write what is true for you. Under each one is a free course that helps you build that evidence.
Excellent communication skills with patients, relatives and colleagues
I am committed to clear and compassionate communication. I completed an online course in communication skills, covering breaking bad news with the SPIKES framework, explaining risk using natural frequencies, and the duty of candour. I have since used SPIKES when telling a family about a new cancer diagnosis: I checked what they already knew, gave a warning shot, allowed time for silence and agreed a clear plan, and the family thanked the team for how the news was shared. I now use teach-back routinely to check that patients understand their treatment plans.
Build this evidence: Communication Skills for Doctors: Bad News, Complaints and Difficult Conversations — free to study.
Experience of working in the NHS or an equivalent healthcare system, and understanding of NHS systems
Although I have not yet worked in a paid NHS post, I have prepared carefully for NHS practice. I completed a clinical attachment in acute medicine, where I joined board rounds and post-take ward rounds, and saw how NEWS2, SBAR handover, critical care outreach and discharge planning with therapists and social workers work in practice. I also completed an online course on NHS ward systems, covering escalation, documentation, safe prescribing and writing discharge summaries for GPs. In my current post I already lead the acute take and escalate deteriorating patients using an early warning score, so I am confident I can work safely on an NHS rota from day one.
Build this evidence: Working in the NHS: Ward Essentials for IMGs — free to study.
Understanding of the GMC's Good Medical Practice and UK professional standards
I have a clear understanding of the professional standards expected of doctors in the UK. I completed an online course on the GMC's Good Medical Practice (2024), which strengthened my understanding of consent, confidentiality, candour and raising concerns in the UK context. I apply these principles every day: I involve patients in shared decisions, use professional interpreters, and when a patient's scan was delayed I was open with her, apologised, explained what had happened and what we were doing to prevent it happening again.
Build this evidence: Understanding Good Medical Practice — free to study.
Evidence of teaching experience and an understanding of effective teaching methods
I am committed to teaching and to developing as a clinical teacher. I completed an online course in teaching skills for doctors, covering adult learning, learning objectives, small-group and bedside teaching, and giving feedback. I applied this by planning and delivering a 30-minute bedside session for final-year medical students on interpreting arterial blood gases, with clear objectives and the one-minute preceptor. I collected written feedback from all six students and used their comments to add more practice cases. I now plan every session around objectives and ask for feedback each time.
Build this evidence: Teaching Skills for Doctors — free to study.
Involvement in clinical audit or quality improvement
I am committed to improving the quality of care. After completing an online course in clinical audit and quality improvement, I carried out an audit of venous thromboembolism risk assessment on admission against the NICE standard, and found that only 62% of patients had a completed assessment within 14 hours. I presented the results, introduced a prompt on the clerking proforma and taught the admitting team; a re-audit three months later showed 91% compliance. The project taught me how to engage colleagues in change and to close the audit loop.
Build this evidence: Clinical Audit and Quality Improvement: A Step-by-Step Guide — free to study.
Evidence of leadership and management skills, and the ability to work effectively in a team
I see leadership as part of every doctor's role. As a medical SHO, I coordinated our rota when two colleagues were on long-term leave: I mapped the gaps, agreed fair principles with the team and escalated the remaining gaps to the clinical lead, and every shift was covered without breaching working-time limits. To build on this, I completed an online course in leadership and management, which introduced me to the NHS Healthcare Leadership Model and compassionate leadership. I now give a two-minute team brief at the start of every on-call and ask colleagues for feedback.
Build this evidence: Leadership and Management for Doctors — free to study.
Understanding of clinical governance and patient safety
I understand clinical governance as the framework through which we keep patients safe and keep improving care. I completed an online course covering the pillars of governance, incident reporting, the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework and risk management. I take an active part: I report incidents and near misses, attend our monthly morbidity and mortality meetings, and recently contributed to a learning review after a medication incident, which changed how insulin pens are stored on our ward. I see governance as every clinician's responsibility.
Build this evidence: Clinical Governance in the NHS — free to study.
Ability to recognise and manage acutely unwell and deteriorating patients, including resuscitation
I am confident in recognising and managing acutely unwell patients. To strengthen my knowledge, and to prepare for my Resuscitation Council UK ALS course, I completed an online course on the UK adult advanced life support guidelines, covering the algorithm, rhythm recognition and post-resuscitation care. I have taken part in cardiac arrest calls as a team member, taking roles in chest compressions and airway support, and I contributed to the debrief afterwards. I now review the algorithm regularly so I can act calmly and quickly.
Build this evidence: Advanced Life Support (ALS) — UK Guidelines — free to study.
Evidence of reflective practice and commitment to continuing professional development
I use reflection to learn from every experience. I completed an online course on reflective practice, appraisal and revalidation, and I now write short structured reflections using 'What? So what? Now what?'. After a near miss in which I prescribed a renally cleared antibiotic without checking kidney function, I reflected on the human factors involved, changed my prescribing routine and suggested an eGFR prompt for our ward round checklist, which the team adopted. I keep a personal development plan with SMART goals and review it regularly with my supervisor.
Build this evidence: Reflective Practice, Appraisal and Revalidation — free to study.
Ability to critically appraise research evidence and apply it to clinical practice
I can appraise research critically and apply it to my practice. I completed an online course in research and critical appraisal, covering study designs, bias, confidence intervals and the number needed to treat. I applied these skills by appraising a recent randomised trial in my specialty with a CASP checklist and presenting it at our departmental journal club, where I highlighted the absolute benefit and the trial's limitations. The discussion led our team to review the local guideline. I now check absolute risk reductions and confidence intervals before changing my practice.
Build this evidence: Research and Critical Appraisal: Evidence-Based Medicine for Doctors — free to study.
An understanding of the principles of research and an interest in research
I understand the importance of research in improving patient care, and I am building my experience step by step. I completed an introductory course on research, covering the main study designs, ethics and consent, and how research is approved in the NHS. I have contacted my trust's research and development office to ask how I can help recruit patients to current studies, and I am completing Good Clinical Practice training. In this post, I would like to contribute to departmental research and present a poster within my first year.
Build this evidence: Introduction to Research: First Steps for Doctors — free to study.
Probity: professional integrity, honesty and respect for confidentiality
I hold myself to high standards of honesty and integrity. I completed an online course in professionalism and probity, covering honesty in records and applications, conflicts of interest, professional boundaries and the GMC's reporting requirements. In practice, when I realised I had recorded the wrong time for a medication dose, I added a dated correction rather than changing the original entry, and informed the nurse in charge. I declare any conflicts of interest, keep professional boundaries online, and I am always accurate about my experience.
Build this evidence: Professionalism and Probity for Doctors — free to study.
Understanding of information governance and confidentiality, and good IT skills
I understand my responsibilities for confidentiality and information governance. I completed an online course covering the GMC's confidentiality guidance, the Caldicott Principles, data protection and the safe use of AI tools. In practice, I check patients' wishes before sharing information with relatives, confirm callers' identity, never share my smartcard and dispose of handover lists securely. When a patient with epilepsy told me he intended to keep driving, I explained his legal duty, documented my advice and followed GMC guidance on informing the DVLA.
Build this evidence: Confidentiality, Information Governance and AI in Clinical Practice — free to study.
Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
I am committed to fair and inclusive care for patients and colleagues. I completed an online course in equality, diversity and inclusion, covering the Equality Act 2010, reasonable adjustments, health inequalities and being an active bystander. In my practice I make reasonable adjustments, such as longer appointments and easy-read information for patients with a learning disability, and I always use professional interpreters. When I noticed that patients with limited English were often seen without an interpreter, I raised it with the clinic manager and we introduced a booking prompt.
Build this evidence: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Healthcare — free to study.
Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities for adults at risk
I understand my responsibilities to protect adults at risk. I completed an online course on safeguarding adults, covering the Care Act 2014, mental capacity, and recognising abuse and neglect, including domestic abuse. When an older patient arrived with unexplained bruising and her carer answered every question for her, I made sure I spoke with her alone, assessed her capacity, discussed my concerns with my senior and the safeguarding team, raised a concern with adult social care, and documented everything clearly.
Build this evidence: Safeguarding Adults — free to study.
Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities for children and young people
I understand that every doctor has a duty to protect children, including when treating adults. I completed an online course on safeguarding children, covering how to recognise maltreatment, NICE guidance on bruising in babies, 'Think Family' and how to make a referral. When I admitted a mother with a relapse of psychosis, I asked who was caring for her young son, found that the arrangements were not safe, informed the safeguarding team and children's social care the same day, and recorded the actions I had taken.
Build this evidence: Safeguarding Children and Young People — free to study.
Knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
I have a sound working knowledge of mental health and capacity law. I completed an online course on the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act, including the 2026 changes to deprivation of liberty and the Mental Health Act 2025 reforms. On call, when a patient with delirium tried to leave the ward, I assessed his capacity for that decision, acted in his best interests using the least restrictive approach, involved his family and my senior, and documented my assessment clearly.
Build this evidence: Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act for Doctors — free to study.
Experience in the assessment and management of patients with trauma and emergency presentations
I have experience in the initial assessment of patients with trauma. I completed an online course on trauma life support based on UK guidelines, covering the <C>ABCDE primary survey, NICE imaging rules and major haemorrhage. In the emergency department I have applied this when assessing patients after falls and road traffic collisions, using a systematic primary survey, applying the NICE CT head rules and giving a structured ATMIST handover. I plan to complete an ATLS® provider course to build on this.
Build this evidence: Trauma Life Support — UK Guidelines — free to study.
Full worked examples
See how the paragraphs fit together in a complete statement for a real NHS post, with the person specification explained line by line.
Common mistakes that cost shortlisting
- Writing a life story instead of matching the person specification.
- Saying "I have no NHS experience" instead of describing equivalent experience.
- Generic claims ("I am a good communicator") with no example.
- Repeating the whole audit or research project, which belongs in its own section of the form.
- Using the same statement for every job without mentioning the Trust or the post.
- Including patient-identifiable details.
Want your statement checked?
Our Review & Rewrite service checks your NHS Jobs or Trac application line by line against the person specification and helps you strengthen it. Everything is done by email, from anywhere in the world. We are independent and cannot guarantee shortlisting.
Email cvreviewexperts@gmail.comFrequently asked questions
What is a supporting statement in an NHS job application?
It is the section of an NHS Jobs or Trac application, often called 'supporting information', where you explain how you meet the person specification. Shortlisters score it against each essential and desirable criterion, so it is usually the most important part of the form.
How should I structure my NHS supporting statement?
Follow the order of the person specification: a short opening about why you want this post, then qualifications and registration, clinical experience, clinical skills, audit and quality improvement, teaching, research, communication and teamwork, professional values, and a short close. Give a specific example for each criterion.
Can I use the same supporting statement for every NHS job?
Keep a strong master version, but tailor it every time. Each post has its own person specification, rotations and Trust values, and shortlisters notice a generic statement.
I have never worked in the NHS. What should I write?
Most entry-level posts for international doctors list NHS experience as desirable, not essential. Describe your equivalent experience in detail, any UK clinical attachment, and the NHS systems you understand, such as NEWS2, SBAR handover and NICE guidance.
Should I mention CPD courses in my supporting statement?
Yes, briefly, and link each course to what you now do differently, for example: 'I completed a course in teaching skills and now plan every session around clear objectives.' Put the provider, date and certificate in the training section of the form.
I have given up my GMC licence. What do I write?
State it simply: 'I hold full registration with the General Medical Council. I have recently given up my licence to practise, and I am more than happy to restore it as I fulfil all the requirements.' You can restore your licence after an offer, before you start.
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