Why this matters for Gulf licensing
OET Writing maps directly to clinical communication standards in private hospitals and clinics. A repeatable letter workflow prevents omissions, keeps tone professional, and protects your score even under time pressure.
What examiners actually score (plain English)
Purpose: clear in the first sentence; maintained to the end.
Content: only relevant case notes; nothing invented.
Conciseness & Clarity: prioritise safety-critical facts; remove noise.
Genre & Style: formal, clinical, audience-appropriate (nurse, GP, physiotherapist, charge nurse, etc.).
Organization & Layout: logical paragraphs; clear signposting.
Language: accurate grammar, collocations, and clinical register.
The repeatable structure (copy/paste headings)
Purpose (1–2 lines)
I am referring Ms Smith for post-operative wound review and analgesia optimisation.
Clinical background (2–3 lines)
Key diagnosis, date, procedure, baseline conditions (only relevant ones).
Current status (3–5 lines)
Vital trends, pain control, wound/drain status, mobility, red-flag risks.
Request / Action (2–4 lines)
Exact action needed (review, titration, dressing change schedule, community follow-up).
Safety & escalation (1–2 lines)
Clear thresholds or precautions; who to contact.
Close (1 line)
Please let me know if further information is required.
Sentence patterns that score well
Purpose: “I am writing to request…” / “I am referring … for …”
Salient data: “Of note, she has poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 8.4%).”
Prioritisation: “The immediate priority is…”
Escalation: “Should fever >38°C or purulent discharge occur, please initiate…”
Tone: formal, precise, no contractions (do not, cannot).
40-minute timing plan (works under pressure)
5 min — Case-note triage: highlight purpose, risks, mandatory actions.
25 min — Write: follow the six-block structure; short paragraphs.
5 min — Condense: remove non-essential history; keep safety lines.
5 min — Proof: names/dates, units, spelling of drugs, audience check.
Case-note triage checklist (copy/paste)
Target audience (who reads it)
Purpose (refer, discharge, handover, review)
Top 3 clinical facts that change management
Medications relevant to the request (doses, timings)
Risks (red flags, co-morbidities)
Action requested (what/when/who)
Follow-up & escalation thresholds
Language & layout hygiene
Salutation and sign-off appropriate (Dear Community Nurse… Yours sincerely).
One idea per paragraph; strong topic sentence first.
Metrics in SI units; drug names in generic.
Avoid colloquialisms and judgement; use objective descriptors.
Frequent errors—and calm fixes
No explicit purpose → write it in line one.
Copying all notes → keep only management-relevant details.
Audience mismatch → remove ICU jargon for community letters; add practical actions.
Time overrun → cap body at ~180–220 words unless task demands more.
Risk omitted → add one line with thresholds and who to contact.
Ready-to-use openings (edit details)
I am writing to refer Mr Ahmed for community wound care following laparoscopic appendicectomy on 5 November 2025.
I am requesting a review of Mrs Khan’s insulin regimen due to recurrent post-prandial hypoglycaemia since discharge on 2 November 2025.
Please arrange domiciliary physiotherapy for Ms Lewis to progress stair negotiation and issue a home exercise plan.
Closings you can trust
Please review within 48 hours and advise on titration.
Kindly escalate to the surgical team if temperature persists >38°C or drainage increases.
Do not hesitate to contact the ward for additional information.
Micro-drills (10 minutes per evening)
Convert three messy case notes into the six-block letter using 200–240 words.
Practise audience swaps: rewrite the same scenario to a GP vs a community nurse.
Build a risk phrase bank (fever, bleeding, glycaemic control, wound dehiscence).