OET Writing: Selecting Relevant Case Notes — Questions and Answers

Question 1: When deciding which case notes to include in an OET referral letter, what is the single most important factor?

The chronological order of every event
The relevance to the recipient and purpose of the letter (Correct answer)
The amount of detail available in the notes
The patient's most recent vital signs only

Correct answer: The relevance to the recipient and purpose of the letter

Selection is driven by what the reader needs to act on the patient's care, not by completeness.

Question 2: A patient is being referred to a physiotherapist after a hip replacement. Which detail is LEAST relevant to include?

Current mobility status and weight-bearing restrictions
Pain levels during movement
The patient's childhood appendectomy 30 years ago (Correct answer)
Prescribed analgesia and dosing schedule

Correct answer: The patient's childhood appendectomy 30 years ago

An unrelated, decades-old surgery has no bearing on current physiotherapy management.

Question 3: In the OET Writing task, irrelevant case notes are best handled by:

Copying them all in to be safe
Omitting them entirely from the letter (Correct answer)
Including them in a footnote
Mentioning them only in the closing line

Correct answer: Omitting them entirely from the letter

Relevant-only selection is assessed, so irrelevant notes should simply be left out.

Question 4: Which piece of information is almost always relevant in a discharge or referral letter?

The patient's favourite food
The reason for referral or admission (Correct answer)
The ward's bed number
The name of the cleaning staff

Correct answer: The reason for referral or admission

The reason for referral or admission frames the entire letter and is essential.

Question 5: A note states the patient 'enjoys gardening as a hobby.' When is this relevant to include?

Never, hobbies are always irrelevant
When it relates to ongoing care, such as exposure or rehabilitation goals (Correct answer)
Only in letters to family
Whenever the word count is low

Correct answer: When it relates to ongoing care, such as exposure or rehabilitation goals

Social details become relevant when they affect diagnosis, risk, or care planning.

Question 6: When notes contain conflicting or repeated information, the writer should:

Include every version to show thoroughness
Select the most current and clinically relevant version (Correct answer)
Ignore the section completely
Ask the reader to check the records

Correct answer: Select the most current and clinically relevant version

The most up-to-date, relevant data supports the recipient's decision-making.

Question 7: Selecting relevant case notes mainly demonstrates which OET writing sub-skill?

Spelling accuracy
Appropriateness of content and purpose (Correct answer)
Handwriting legibility
Use of medical abbreviations

Correct answer: Appropriateness of content and purpose

Choosing the right content is assessed under appropriateness and purpose.

Question 8: A referral to a community nurse for wound care is being written. Which note is most relevant?

The patient's marital status from 10 years ago
Wound site, dressing type, and frequency of changes (Correct answer)
The brand of the patient's car
A normal cholesterol result from last year

Correct answer: Wound site, dressing type, and frequency of changes

Wound details directly inform the nurse's ongoing care.

Question 9: Which question best helps you decide if a case note is relevant?

Is it interesting?
Does the reader need it to provide safe, effective care? (Correct answer)
Is it the longest note?
Was it written most recently?

Correct answer: Does the reader need it to provide safe, effective care?

Relevance is tied to the reader's need to deliver appropriate care.

Question 10: A note records that the patient is allergic to penicillin. In a letter requesting antibiotic management, this note is:

Irrelevant background
Highly relevant and must be included (Correct answer)
Only relevant if the patient asks
Relevant only for surgical letters

Correct answer: Highly relevant and must be included

Allergies critical to safe prescribing must always be communicated.

Question 11: When the case notes are extensive, the writer should:

Transcribe them in full
Prioritise and group information by relevance to the purpose (Correct answer)
Use only the first page
Pick notes at random to save time

Correct answer: Prioritise and group information by relevance to the purpose

Prioritising and grouping ensures the letter stays focused and useful.

Question 12: A social history note says the patient 'lives alone with no family nearby.' In a discharge letter, this is relevant because it affects:

The patient's insurance premium
Discharge planning and support needs at home (Correct answer)
The hospital's catering budget
The doctor's shift schedule

Correct answer: Discharge planning and support needs at home

Living situation influences post-discharge support and safety planning.

Question 13: Including too many irrelevant details in an OET letter typically results in:

A higher score for thoroughness
Reduced clarity and a lower appropriateness score (Correct answer)
Faster reading for the recipient
Bonus marks for length

Correct answer: Reduced clarity and a lower appropriateness score

Excess irrelevant content dilutes the message and is penalised.

Question 14: A vital sign recorded as normal three days before a stable discharge is usually:

Essential to include in full
Often unnecessary unless it shows a trend or concern (Correct answer)
The most important note
Required in every letter

Correct answer: Often unnecessary unless it shows a trend or concern

A single normal value with no clinical significance can typically be omitted.

Question 15: A letter is addressed to a specialist cardiologist. Which note is most relevant to select?

Recent ECG findings and cardiac symptoms (Correct answer)
The patient's preferred TV channel
A resolved ankle sprain from years ago
The patient's height in childhood

Correct answer: Recent ECG findings and cardiac symptoms

Cardiac data is directly relevant to a cardiologist's assessment.

Question 16: Relevance of a case note can change depending on:

The day of the week
The recipient and the purpose of the letter (Correct answer)
The writer's personal preference
The length of the patient's stay only

Correct answer: The recipient and the purpose of the letter

The same note may be relevant for one reader and not for another.

Question 17: A note states the patient smokes 20 cigarettes per day. This is most relevant in a referral concerning:

A minor laceration repair
Respiratory or cardiovascular management (Correct answer)
A dental cleaning appointment
An eye test

Correct answer: Respiratory or cardiovascular management

Smoking is a key risk factor in respiratory and cardiovascular care.

Question 18: When transforming case notes into a letter, the writer should select information that is:

Detailed regardless of relevance
Accurate, relevant, and supports the letter's purpose (Correct answer)
Only the most dramatic findings
Written in the patient's own words

Correct answer: Accurate, relevant, and supports the letter's purpose

Selected content must be accurate and serve the letter's stated purpose.

Question 19: A medication note lists a drug the patient stopped taking last year. In a current management letter, this is:

Always essential
Usually irrelevant unless it affects current treatment (Correct answer)
The most important detail
Required for legal reasons

Correct answer: Usually irrelevant unless it affects current treatment

Discontinued medications are generally omitted unless clinically relevant now.

Question 20: Which approach best ensures only relevant notes are selected?

Reading the case notes once quickly
Identifying the purpose and recipient before choosing content (Correct answer)
Including everything then deleting later
Copying the most recent page

Correct answer: Identifying the purpose and recipient before choosing content

Clarifying purpose and audience first guides accurate selection.

Question 21: A patient's religious dietary preference is relevant to include when the letter concerns:

A referral about an unrelated skin rash
Ongoing inpatient or nutritional care planning (Correct answer)
A vision assessment
A hearing test

Correct answer: Ongoing inpatient or nutritional care planning

Dietary preferences matter for nutrition and inpatient care planning.

OET Writing: Selecting Relevant Case Notes

When deciding which case notes to include in an OET referral letter, what is the single most important factor?

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Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

cambridgeenglish.org — Time limit, passing score, score validity, test delivery · verified Oct 2026
support.oet.com — Score release, eligibility, retake policy, registration deadline, exam information · verified Oct 2026