Several professionals may appear in a set of notes. The person who originally referred the patient is not necessarily the person who should receive your letter.
The first case in OET Writing Essentials – Radiography Focus names a referring professional, a colleague consulted and a separate receiving specialist. This guide focuses on keeping those roles clear.
Start with the writing task
Use the task instruction to identify the intended recipient. Do not assume that the first name in the notes belongs in the address block.
Original administrative example
Notes: Tutor refers a file problem to support; support consults a technician; task asks for an update to the course coordinator.
Planning map: Tutor raised the issue, technician was consulted, coordinator receives the update.
Match actions to people
A sentence such as “The technician was informed” is inaccurate if the notes say the coordinator received the information. Recheck the actor and recipient whenever you shorten a sentence.
Who belongs in the salutation?
In the illustrative task, the course coordinator is the intended recipient. Neither the original referrer nor the consulted technician should be substituted simply because their name appears earlier.
Check the request at the end
The closing action should make sense for the stated recipient and match the task. Avoid addressing one person while requesting an action from another unnamed role.
Before drafting, write three brief labels: writer, recipient and other people involved. This small planning step can prevent an otherwise fluent letter from travelling in the wrong direction.
Explore OET Writing for Radiographers — Course 3 to see the course outline, current availability and enrolment options. Use the worked exercise above to identify a skill you would like to practise next.
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OET Writing for Radiographers — Course 3
Explore the complete course outline and related practice topics.
Source: OET RAD WR 003.epub, Jobins Training. Examples labelled original or illustrative were written for this article. Independent exam preparation; no affiliation with or endorsement by the examining body. Practice does not predict an official score.