The Importance of a Band 6 Respiratory Physiologist in the NHS
A Band 6 Respiratory Physiologist plays a pivotal role in diagnosing and managing respiratory and sleep disorders within the NHS. These professionals conduct and interpret advanced respiratory function tests, sleep studies, and support ongoing patient care through clinical assessments. Their work directly impacts patient outcomes by enabling accurate diagnosis and effective management of conditions such as COPD, asthma, sleep apnoea, and restrictive lung diseases.
The role typically falls under the Agenda for Change Band 6 pay scale, with a salary ranging from approximately £35,392 to £42,618 per annum in 2025, depending on experience and location. As a Band 6 position, the role also often includes supervisory responsibilities, involvement in service development, and mentoring junior staff.
To help you prepare for your Band 6 Respiratory Physiologist interview, we’ve compiled 20 common and high-yield interview questions along with detailed answers and tips to help you demonstrate both your clinical expertise and your suitability for the role.
Top 20 NHS Band 6 Respiratory Physiologist Interview Questions and Answers
Tell us about your experience as a respiratory physiologist.
Answer: Provide an overview of your current role, highlighting experience with spirometry, lung volume measurements, gas transfer testing, CPET, and sleep studies. Emphasise patient care, accuracy in reporting, and working within multidisciplinary teams.
How do you ensure accuracy and quality control in pulmonary function testing?
Answer: Talk about following ARTP or ERS/ATS guidelines, daily equipment calibration, using biological controls, repeatability criteria, and peer review or audit involvement.
Describe a time you had to explain a complex test result to a patient or clinician.
Answer: Use a real example—explain how you tailored the communication to the patient’s understanding or medical background while ensuring clarity and reassurance.
What is your experience with sleep studies (e.g., oximetry, polysomnography)?
Answer: Highlight specific tests you’ve conducted, interpretation responsibilities, scoring software used (e.g., Embla, Alice, or Nox), and any contribution to sleep MDTs.
How would you handle a patient who becomes breathless or anxious during a test?
Answer: Emphasise patient safety, pausing the test, offering reassurance, monitoring vitals, and involving clinical staff when needed. Always refer back to SOPs.
What are the key differences between obstructive and restrictive lung disease on spirometry?
Answer: Obstructive = reduced FEV1/FVC, Restrictive = reduced FVC with normal/increased FEV1/FVC. Support your explanation with examples like asthma vs. pulmonary fibrosis.
How do you keep up with CPD and changes in respiratory diagnostics?
Answer: Mention ARTP membership, attending conferences, webinars, in-house training, reviewing updated guidelines, or working towards RCCP/AHCS registration.
Describe your role in a multidisciplinary team.
Answer: Discuss your collaboration with respiratory consultants, physiotherapists, nurses, and sleep specialists. Give an example of MDT input improving patient care.
What would you do if you identified a potentially life-threatening result?
Answer: Highlight urgency, communicating directly with the referrer or on-call clinician, documenting clearly, and following escalation protocols.
How do you prioritise workload during a busy clinic?
Answer: Mention triaging based on clinical urgency, effective communication with admin teams, flexibility in routine testing, and staying calm under pressure.
Have you been involved in service improvement or audit?
Answer: Share a time when you helped improve clinic flow, reduced test turnaround times, or contributed to audits that impacted clinical practice or compliance.
What are the potential complications of bronchodilator reversibility testing?
Answer: Talk about side effects like tachycardia, tremor, or paradoxical bronchospasm, and how you prepare, monitor, and respond appropriately.
How do you approach mentoring or supervising junior staff?
Answer: Share experience in training colleagues, demonstrating procedures, giving constructive feedback, and ensuring quality standards are met.
Can you describe the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnoea?
Answer: Explain upper airway collapse during sleep, intermittent hypoxia, arousals, and link to consequences like hypertension, daytime sleepiness, and cognitive impairment.
What software and equipment are you familiar with?
Answer: Mention spirometry systems (e.g., Vyntus, Jaeger, Vitalograph), sleep study software, calibration tools, and electronic patient records like Lorenzo or EPIC.
How do you ensure patient dignity and comfort during testing?
Answer: Discuss clear communication, respecting privacy (gowns, chaperones), informed consent, and cultural sensitivity.
Describe a difficult patient interaction and how you handled it.
Answer: Choose a scenario that shows empathy, professionalism, and resolution—perhaps a non-compliant patient or someone nervous about sleep monitoring.
What’s your approach to learning new diagnostic techniques?
Answer: Express enthusiasm for CPET, IOS, or advanced sleep diagnostics. Mention any training plans or courses, and how you apply learning practically.
How do you handle discrepancies in test results?
Answer: Talk about retesting, consulting senior colleagues, reviewing patient history, and ensuring robust documentation.
Why do you want this Band 6 position?
Answer: Tailor this answer to the trust—mention leadership opportunities, special interests (e.g., sleep, paediatrics), alignment with service values, and your desire to contribute meaningfully to patient care.
Interview Coaching and Final Tips
Securing a Band 6 role is a significant step forward, reflecting not just your technical ability but your leadership and clinical reasoning. As you prepare:
Practise articulating your answers with structure: Situation – Task – Action – Result (STAR).
Reflect on your contributions beyond the test room—how do you support colleagues, innovate services, or improve patient pathways?
Bring enthusiasm for respiratory physiology and show genuine care for patients.
Research the Trust’s priorities and prepare questions for the panel.
Confidence comes from preparation and clarity. With these sample questions and answers, you’re already ahead of the curve. Walk into your interview with the mindset of a future Band 6 Respiratory Physiologist—capable, compassionate, and ready to lead.
Good luck!
