14 | The Ultimate Guide to OET Writing 1. Including information the reader already knows or is outside the scope of the patients care. 03. WRITING WITH CONCISENESS AND CLARITY Conciseness and Clarity is the third criterion used to score your letter. We tend to pair Content and Conciseness & Clarity together because many of the skills, strategies, and questions you apply are similar. Content is the criterion that assesses the information you have included in your letter, Conciseness and Clarity assesses the information you have omitted from your letter. Confused?! Are you thinking: How can I be assessed on something that isnt there? If certain information from the case notes is not omitted, then the important information can become hidden and the reader may end up misunderstanding what is required. Let us take a closer look through some of the mistakes candidates make when writing their letter. 2. Providing too much background or historical detail to the current situation.

3. Not grouping similar information together. EXAMPLE ONE INFORMATION NOT NEEDED FOR CARE Mrs Sharmas case notes cover 6 visits to her GP over a two-month period. The first visit mentions this detail: 29/12/18 Discussion: Concerned that her glucose levels are not well enough controlled checks levels often (worried?) Attends health centre feels not taking her concerns seriously The Writing task is to write a letter referring the patient to the endocrinologist. We can break this case note into what is and what is not relevant to the endocrinologist. Relevant: Mrs Sharma is concerned that her glucose levels were not well controlled causing her to present on the 29 December Not relevant: Mrs Sharma felt the health centre was not taking her concerns seriously. Mrs Sharmas feelings on the health centre are outside of the endocrinologists role. It does not have any impact on the assessment or treatment they will provide her.

EXAMPLE TWO TOO MUCH HISTORICAL DETAIL Avoiding unnecessary or repeated information is also an important part of this criterion. In many sets of case notes, multiple visits to or by the patient will be reported. Some of the information in the earlier visits will have been superseded by how the patients condition progressed. Summarising the information to only include the details which remain relevant is therefore important. Mr Spencers case notes cover his medical presentation:

Case Note Admitted to hospital with L fractured humerus & olecranon process following fall at home. Surgery completed on olecranon process, screw inserted 4 wks ago. Relevant: Mr Spencers injuries were a left fractured humerus & olecranon process Not relevant: The type of surgery. The OT needs to know what injuries the patient sustained because it will help them correctly care for Mr Spencer. However, details of the surgery are not relevant as they will not impact the type of care provided post-discharge. A good summary of this case note would be: She initially presented on 29/12/18 concerned that her blood sugar levels were no longer well controlled. An example of a clear summary is: Mr Spencer had a fall at his home and sustained a fracture to the left humerus and olecranon process. Surgery was completed four weeks ago.