Discharge, transfer and advice letters
A different reader and purpose, the same clear structure.
12 minutes · A free lesson from Writing
Most OET letters are referrals, but the task may ask for a discharge, transfer or advice letter. The reader and the purpose change; the structure — purpose first, then what the reader needs, then the request — does not.
| Letter | Typical reader | A good first sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Referral | specialist, district nurse, dietitian | I am writing to refer Mr Byrne, who…, for… |
| Discharge | GP, practice nurse | I am writing to inform you that Mrs Clarke is being discharged today following… |
| Transfer | care home, another hospital | I am writing regarding Mr Whitfield, who will return to your care tomorrow… |
| Advice or information | patient, carer, school | I am writing to give you some information about… |
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: Who usually receives a discharge letter?
- The patient's GP or practice nurse
- The hospital pharmacy
- The patient's employer
Show the answer
A: The patient's GP or practice nurse — The GP needs the diagnosis, the treatment, the medicines now and what they must do next.
Quick check: Where should you say that a referral is urgent?
- Only in the last line
- Nowhere: the reader will work it out
- In the first paragraph
Show the answer
C: In the first paragraph — Purpose — including urgency — comes first.
Quick check: You are writing to a patient's daughter. How do you describe hypertension?
- HTN
- High blood pressure
- Essential hypertension, stage 2
Show the answer
B: High blood pressure — No abbreviations or unexplained terms when the reader is a patient or carer.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now