The candidate card
Setting
Community learning-disability service
Candidate
You are a community learning-disability nurse conducting an original independent practice consultation with Mr Robert Drummond, aged 62, his adult son's agreed carer and father. His son, aged 31, has attended a follow-up after hospital discharge six days ago and is waiting in an adjoining consultation room. In a brief private conversation today, his son requested that his father join the discussion about transport and support with daily routines, while other personal health matters remain private. His son prefers short spoken explanations, pictures, one question at a time and time to respond; you will confirm his choices with him again before starting the shared discussion.
Task (interlocutor: relative)
- Find out what concerns Mr Robert Drummond about joining only part of the consultation and what support he currently provides.
- Explain the limits of the permission his son has given, making clear that needing communication support does not automatically mean being unable to make decisions.
- Describe an accessible consultation in separate segments: a shared discussion of agreed practical topics, a private conversation with his son and an optional shared summary containing only information his son agrees to share.
- Reassure Mr Robert Drummond that his contribution is valued and explore how his son can receive communication support during the private segment.
- Agree a proposed arrangement to confirm with his son, including how to check permission before sharing any additional information and how his father can offer relevant observations.
In the test you get 3 minutes to read the card and plan, then about 5 minutes to talk. This card is original, written for this site; the interlocutor's card is not shown.
Prepare this card, then say it out loud.
Plan your opening and the tasks below. Keep these notes when you move to the AI role-play.
You are a community learning-disability nurse conducting an original independent practice consultation with Mr Robert Drummond, aged 62, his adult son's agreed carer and father. His son, aged 31, has attended a follow-up after hospital discharge six days ago and is waiting in an adjoining consultation room. In a brief private conversation today, his son requested that his father join the discussion about transport and support with daily routines, while other personal health matters remain private. His son prefers short spoken explanations, pictures, one question at a time and time to respond; you will confirm his choices with him again before starting the shared discussion.
Getting your plan ready…
Preparation is free without an account. AI conversation and marking need sign-in; your first role-play is free. Notes are saved on this device when available. This checklist is your plan, not a score.
How to approach this card
- Begin with the father's perspective before explaining boundaries. Ask what concerns him about attending only part of the appointment and which routines he helps with. A likely worry is that useful information could be missed; explore this rather than assuming resistance.
- Anchor the explanation in his son's specific request about transport and daily routines. Describe permission as covering particular topics, rather than everything discussed today. Explicitly separate needing help with communication from being unable to decide, avoiding labels that imply either dependence or incapacity.
- Make the sequence predictable: agreed practical topics together, personal discussion privately, then an optional shared summary limited to information his son agrees to share. Explain that describing each segment beforehand can help the father understand his place without promising access to private information.
- Avoid equating a private conversation with withdrawing support. Explain the planned short spoken explanations, pictures, one question at a time and response time. Ask which communication approaches have helped, treating the father's experience as useful input while reserving confirmation of preferences for his son.
- If time runs short, prioritise a clear proposed arrangement and reconfirmation with his son. Agree how the father can offer observations without expecting private details in return, and explain that any additional sharing requires checking his son's permission before it happens.
Model route: what a strong candidate might say
Example lines in a workable order for about 5 minutes: opening, key questions, the patient's concern, explaining, then the close. Use them to plan, not to memorise: the patient's replies are not scripted here, and your next line should follow what they actually say.
1. Opening
- “Hello Mr Drummond, I'm the community learning-disability nurse. Thank you for coming. Your son is waiting in the next room.”
- “Before we plan anything, could you tell me how you feel about joining only part of the appointment?”
2. Key questions
- “What support do you give your son at the moment with daily routines and getting around?”
- “What worries you about joining only part of the consultation?”
- “During the private part, how could we best help your son understand and answer?”
- “Is there anything you have noticed that you would like us to hear about?”
3. Handling the patient's concern
Likely concern: He may worry about being left out of decisions or not being told about his son's health.
- “It's natural to want to know everything when you care for someone. Can you tell me more about what feels most important to you?”
- “Your experience of supporting your son is valuable, and I want to hear it. He has chosen what is shared, and I need to respect that.”
4. Explaining
- “Your son has asked you to join the talk about transport and support with daily routines. Other health matters stay private unless he agrees to share them. Needing communication support doesn't mean he can't make decisions. Is that clear?”
- “The visit has three parts: a shared talk on those practical topics, private time with your son, and then maybe a short shared summary of only what he agrees to. Would a picture of this help?”
5. Closing
- “So I'll check with your son: a shared talk on transport and daily routines, private time, and a summary only with his agreement. Have I got that right?”
- “Before sharing anything more, I'll ask him first, and you can tell me your own observations. Is there anything you would like to change?”
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- Your experience of supporting him matters here.
- Would it help if I explained where you would join us?
- How does that arrangement sound from your perspective?
- Have I understood the concern you most want addressed?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| Hospital discharge | Leaving hospital after a stay. |
| Accessible consultation | An appointment arranged so he can understand, respond and take part. |
| Communication support | Help with understanding information and expressing what he wants. |
How this card is marked
Two assessors mark the recording on nine criteria: intelligibility, fluency, appropriateness of language and resources of grammar and expression (each 0–6), then relationship building, understanding and incorporating the patient's perspective, providing structure, information gathering and information giving (each 0–3). See the AI Speaking practice guide for what each criterion looks for.
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Questions about this role-play
How much can I infer from the hospital discharge six days ago?
Use it only to establish the timing and purpose of the follow-up. The card gives no reason for admission, discharge instructions or account of recovery. Do not suggest that he has recovered, deteriorated or needs particular monitoring because of the recent hospital stay.
How can I avoid talking about the son as though he were a child?
Use adult language and refer to him by his preferred name once established. Avoid expressions such as being good or letting Dad decide. Do not address the father as the default spokesperson simply because he accompanies or supports his adult son.
What wording helps if Mr Drummond becomes frustrated?
Respond to what he actually says rather than assigning a motive. For example, acknowledge that the arrangement sounds frustrating to him, then invite him to explain the difficulty. Avoid describing him as overprotective or saying that you know exactly how he feels.
What if Mr Drummond pushes for access to private health information?
Stay kind and consistent. Thank him, restate that what is shared is his son's choice, and say you can ask his son whether he wants to share more. Don't discuss or confirm private details, and keep steering back to the agreed practical topics.
How do I make sure his son's choices are confirmed properly?
Tell Mr Drummond you will go back to his son next and confirm the plan before bringing his father in. Use the son's preferred style: short spoken explanations, pictures, one question at a time and time to respond.
Sources
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