Occupational Therapy Writing: 50 Expert Cases to High-Scoring Letters

Problem: OT candidates describe conditions when readers need function — what the person can and cannot do, and what will change that. Answer in brief: write function-first letters from 50 expert cases, each studied for its decisions. Below: the function-first method, OT situation playbooks, demonstrations, eight tasks and FAQs — grounded in OET Writing for Occupational Therapists: The Premium Guide by Jobin Thomas.

Learning outcomes

By the end you will be able to: frame every OT letter around function; handle discharge, equipment, rehab and paediatric situations; write measurable goals; and study expert samples for transfer. Method follows the source book.

Function-first: the OT difference

Every OT letter answers: what can this person do, what can’t they do, what matters to them, and what will close the gap. Diagnoses open context; ADL performance carries the argument. The reader — GP, social services, school, MDT — decides from function, so function leads every paragraph: transfers, washing, dressing, cooking, work, school participation.

Situation playbooks

Discharge planning → social services/GP: home setup, function now, risks, support needed, review date. Equipment → services: assessed need, trialled options, exact request with justification. Rehabilitation → MDT/GP: baseline, goals, progress, ongoing plan. Paediatric → school/family: participation impact, strategies, review. Workplace → employer/OH: demands vs capacity, adjustments, phased return.

Goals that score

State goals in SMART form with ownership and date: “Independent shower transfers using the newly fitted grab rails within two weeks, reviewed at the next visit.” Vague goals (“improve mobility”) signal vague thinking; measured goals prove clinical reasoning and give the reader something to support.

Demonstrations (newly written)

Labelling: both demonstrations are newly written with fictional cases.

Discharge letter (newly written, ~185 words)

“Dear Ms Hart, I am writing regarding Mrs Boateng, aged 79, prior to her discharge home following a left fractured neck of femur managed conservatively. Mrs Boateng mobilises short distances with a frame and standby assistance, and manages toilet transfers independently using the raised seat and rails fitted last week. She cannot yet manage stairs, baths or shopping, and lives alone in a first-floor flat with fourteen steps and no lift. Her daughter visits twice weekly. Key risks are falls on the stairs and difficulty summoning help overnight. I recommend a care package covering morning and evening visits, a pendant alarm, and a stair-lift assessment. Goals agreed with Mrs Boateng are independent ground-floor living within one month and stair practice with physiotherapy. I will review in two weeks and would value your urgent arrangement of the requested support before Friday’s planned discharge. Yours sincerely, Occupational Therapist.” Note: function inventory → risks → exact requests → dated goals.

Goal repair (newly written)

Vague: “Aim to improve daily living skills.” Scored: “Prepare a simple hot meal independently using adapted equipment within three weeks, reviewed at the next visit.”

Practice bank: 8 tasks with answers

Task 1. Function inventory for: stroke, right weakness. Answer guidance: transfers, washing, dressing, cooking, outdoors — can/can’t each.

Task 2. Equipment request with justification. Answer: assessed need + trialled options + exact item + functional gain.

Task 3. SMART-ify: “Walk better.” Answer: “Walk to the corner shop and back with a stick within one month…”.

Task 4. Risk line for overnight alone. Answer: named risk + mitigation + request.

Task 5. Paediatric participation framing. Answer guidance: school impact + strategies + review, family tone.

Task 6. Workplace adjustment proposal. Answer: demands vs capacity + phased adjustments + review date.

Task 7. Close with review ownership. Answer: “I will review in… and re-report.”

Task 8. Full discharge letter, timed. Answer: self-checked function/risk/request.

Common errors and corrections

Diagnosis-led letters. Condition first, function missing — invert the order. Vague goals. Unmeasured aims — SMART with dates. Request-free endings. Support needed but unasked — exact requests. Risk silence. Hazards unmentioned — name and mitigate. Equipment without trial. Requests unjustified — assessed need plus trialled options.

Independent task and self-check

Write three OT letters this week (discharge, equipment, rehab). Check: function-first order, SMART goals, exact requests, review ownership.

Study sequence with the book

Week 1: function-first method + goal-writing drills. Weeks 2–3: 50 expert cases in situation rotation with samples studied. Week 4: timed mixed letters; weakest-situation focus.

FAQs

What makes OT letters different? Function-first framing with measurable goals — no other profession writes quite these letters. How detailed on equipment? Assessed need, trials, exact item, expected gain. Who owns follow-up? State it — “I will review…”. Paediatric tone? Participation-centred, family-inclusive. What if function is poor across the board? Report honestly with prioritised goals — honesty with direction scores.

The matching book

OET Writing for Occupational Therapists: The Premium Guide — 50 Expert Case Notes with High-Scoring Sample Letters by Jobin Thomas (Jobins Training, 2025) provides the expert bank with samples. Use this article for the function-first method; use the book for the case volume.

Continue your practice with OET Writing for Occupational Therapists: The Premium Guide — 50 Expert Case Notes with High-Scoring Sample Letters

Want more practice? This article introduces the key principles, but OET Writing for Occupational Therapists: The Premium Guide — 50 Expert Case Notes with High-Scoring Sample Letters provides additional practice, worked examples and structured preparation. View the book →

Sources and editorial note

Scope and method verified against EPUB text extraction; framing sections read. Cases, letters and drills newly written and labelled fictional; illustrative clinical content only. No lengthy verbatim reproduction. Recheck OET format on the official OET site before test day. British English throughout.