OET is the primary test that assesses healthcare professionals who are willing to pursue their careers or education overseas. In this exam, an OET referral letter is considered one of the toughest tasks. Here, you have to write a referral letter just like the real doctors or nurses give, using similar terminology, language, and tone. Therefore, in this blog, you will read about the OET referral letter sample and format. These samples are given to both nurses and doctors. Apart from that, some common mistakes to avoid and several tips to score high in this task are also mentioned.
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A referral letter OET is one of the most important and toughest writing tasks in the OET Writing sub-test. This task is designed to assess a healthcare professional's ability to communicate patient information to another healthcare professional. It involves writing a professional letter to request or recommend a patient's transfer to a specialist or other healthcare provider.
The OET writing referral letter sample will help you get a better understanding of the format and purpose of the particular task. Moreover, it is important to score high as this part assesses the most important skills that a healthcare professional must have.
Understanding the OET referral letter format is important for the candidates to score high there. So, go through the basic breakdown of the format below.
This is the most accurate and recommended OET referral letter format. Use it while writing your response to ensure high marks on the test. You can also go through the OET syllabus to check the important topics and get familiar with the format and topics you will encounter in the exam.
To practice better for this particular task, it is important that you go through the OET writing referral letter sample. Check below to get different samples for both the doctor and the nurse.
Here, you will go through the OET referral letter sample for nurses that will help you score well in the exam.
Using the information in the case notes, write a referral letter to the Community Physiotherapy Service, 8 Glen Street, Brookside, for further home-based rehabilitation following discharge.
Patient Details:
Name: Mrs. Clara Reynolds
DOB: 05/06/1945 (Age: 79)
Address: 45 Meadow Lane, Brookside
Marital Status: Widow
Discharge Date: 10 March 2025
Osteoarthritis (knees)
Hypertension
Hip replacement (left) – 2 weeks ago
Admitted for elective left hip replacement on 24 Feb 2025
Post-op recovery uneventful
Mobilising with a frame
Mild swelling at the incision site, healing well
Needs assistance with stairs and daily activities
Lives alone
Daughter visits twice a week
No home modifications yet
Home physiotherapy required for mobility and strength improvement
Encourage independence in ADLs
Monitor wound healing
Community Physiotherapy Service
8 Glen Street
Brookside
10 March 2025
Dear Physiotherapist,
Re: Mrs. Clara Reynolds, aged 79
I am writing to refer Mrs. Clara Reynolds, who has recently been discharged following a left hip replacement, and now requires home-based physiotherapy for continued rehabilitation and mobility support.
Mrs. Reynolds was admitted on 24 February 2025 for an elective hip replacement due to longstanding osteoarthritis. Her post-operative recovery was uneventful. She is now mobilizing with a frame and experiencing only mild swelling at the incision site, which is healing appropriately.
Currently, she requires assistance with climbing stairs and several activities of daily living. She lives alone, although her daughter visits twice weekly. No home modifications have been made yet to support her recovery.
She would benefit greatly from physiotherapy to improve her mobility, regain strength, and promote independence. Additionally, monitoring the surgical site as part of her care would be helpful.
Thank you for your support in facilitating Mrs. Reynolds’s continued recovery at home.
Yours sincerely,
Adolf Epstein
Registered Nurse
Here, you will go through the OET referral letter sample for doctors that will help you score well in the exam.
Using the information in the case notes, write a referral letter to Dr. Sharon Mendez, a neurologist at City Specialist Hospital, 18 Riverbank Avenue, London, who will take over the management of the patient.
Patient Details:
Name: Mr. Alan Smith
DOB: 20/01/1970 (Age: 54)
Address: 22 Elm Street, London
Occupation: Accountant
Marital Status: Married
Hypertension – diagnosed 2015
Type 2 Diabetes – diagnosed 2018
Non-smoker, occasional alcohol
Presenting Complaint (4 March 2025):
Sudden onset of slurred speech and weakness in the right arm
Symptoms lasted 20 minutes, resolved spontaneously
No loss of consciousness
No previous similar episodes
BP: 150/95 mmHg
Pulse: 88 bpm, regular
Neuro exam: Normal
Blood glucose: 9.8 mmol/L
ECG: Normal
CT head: No acute changes
Provisional Diagnosis:
Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)
Started on aspirin 300mg
Referred for urgent neurologist review
Dr. Sharon Mendez
Neurologist
City Specialist Hospital
18 Riverbank Avenue
London
6 March 2025
Dear Dr. Mendez,
Re: Mr. Alan Smith, aged 54
I am writing to refer Mr. Alan Smith, who presented with a probable transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and requires your expert evaluation and management.
On 4 March 2025, Mr. Smith experienced a sudden episode of slurred speech and right arm weakness. The symptoms resolved spontaneously within 20 minutes. He did not experience any loss of consciousness, and there were no prior similar incidents.
Mr. Smith has a background of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, both diagnosed several years ago. He is a non-smoker and consumes alcohol occasionally. On examination, his blood pressure was elevated at 150/95 mmHg, with a regular pulse of 88 bpm. Neurological examination was normal at the time of assessment. Initial investigations, including ECG and CT head, did not reveal any acute abnormalities. His blood glucose level was 9.8 mmol/L.
In the interim, he has been commenced on aspirin 300mg. Given the suspected TIA and his vascular risk factors, I believe a neurologist review is urgently warranted to guide further management and secondary prevention.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Jeffrey Hitler
General Practitioner
These are the referral letter OET nursing writing samples with answers. Use these OET writing samples to understand the tone and structure of the letter.
There are several mistakes that people make while writing the OET referral letter in the exam. So, some of these are:
These are some of the mistakes that people make in the referral letter OET. So, practice more to avoid such errors and avoid unnecessary marks deduction.
Here, you will find some of the tips that will help you write a high-scoring OET referral letter. So, read them and follow them in your exam.
This was all about the OET referral letter. Here, you went through the basic details of this task and also two samples on behalf of doctors and nurses. So, go through them, carry their tone, and understand the proper structure of the letter. Moreover, take the help of the format also as it will make the task more understandable to you. At last, go through the common mistakes that you must avoid and also the tips that will help you avoid unnecessary mark deductions. So, prepare well, take the help of the OET writing mock test, and pursue your healthcare career abroad.
1. What Is an OET Referral Letter?
The OET referral letter checks the healthcare professional's ability to communicate patient information to another healthcare professional. It involves writing a professional letter to request or recommend a patient's transfer to a specialist or other healthcare provider.
2. Who Can Write an OET Referral Letter?
A healthcare professional such as a doctor or nurse is the only professional who can write an OET referral letter to another healthcare professional.
3. What Is the Purpose of a Referral Letter?
The primary purpose of an OET referral letter is to provide another healthcare professional with the necessary information to continue the patient's care or to request specific investigations or management.
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