OET Writing practice · Medicine
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss – ENT surgeon (urgent)
An original practice task written by LetterScore AI. Read the case notes in 5 minutes, then write your referral letter in 40 minutes, about 180–200 words in the body.
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Case notes
MEDICINE — WRITING TASK (practice) Time allowed: Reading time 5 minutes, Writing time 40 minutes Read the case notes below and complete the writing task which follows. Notes: Today's date: 11/09/2026 You are a GP at Oakfield Surgery, 8 Church Walk, Thornbury Vale. Patient: Mrs Mei Ling Chua, DOB 03/08/1969 (57 yrs) Social background: - Restaurant owner; works evenings in noisy kitchen - Married; lives with husband and mother-in-law (84) - Non-smoker. No alcohol - Swims twice weekly at public pool - Grandson's birthday party last weekend Medical history: - Type 2 diabetes (2017): metformin 1 g BD, gliclazide 80 mg BD. HbA1c 57 mmol/mol (06/2026) - Hypertension: amlodipine 10 mg daily - Ear wax: microsuction both ears (11/2024) - Mechanical low back pain (2021) - Intolerance: codeine (vomiting) Consultation notes: 28/07/2026 - Diabetes/BP review. BP 134/82. Foot check normal. Retinal screening: no retinopathy - Intermittent R ear itch after swimming. Otoscopy: mild canal dryness, TMs intact. Advised to keep ears dry 04/09/2026 (telephone) - Sore throat and runny nose × 3 days, no fever. Self-care advice 11/09/2026 - Woke yesterday (10/09) approx. 07:00 with R ear "blocked" and muffled hearing; cannot use telephone on R side - Loud high-pitched R tinnitus. Mild unsteadiness on standing yesterday morning, now resolved. No vertigo today - No ear pain, discharge, head injury, recent flying or diving - Cold symptoms resolved - No headache, facial numbness or weakness, visual disturbance or limb weakness - O/E: T 36.7°C, BP 138/84, HR 78 reg - Otoscopy: both canals clear, TMs intact and normal - Tuning fork (512 Hz): Weber lateralises to L; Rinne positive bilaterally - Whispered voice test: fails R, passes L - Cranial nerves normal incl. facial nerve. No nystagmus. Romberg negative. Cerebellar exam and gait normal - Capillary blood glucose 9.8 mmol/L - Imp: sudden sensorineural hearing loss, R ear Plan: - Telephoned on-call ENT registrar (Dr Lewis) 11:30: to attend ENT Emergency Clinic 12/09/2026 at 09:00 for audiometry and consideration of oral/intratympanic steroids; MRI internal auditory meatus likely - Corticosteroids not started by GP (ENT to decide; diabetes) - Diabetes nurse informed: may need increased glucose monitoring if steroids started - Husband to drive her - Avoid swimming; attend ED if new neurological symptoms Writing Task: Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to Ms Rebecca Thornton, Consultant ENT Surgeon, ENT Emergency Clinic, Thornbury Vale Hospital, 2 Parkside Road, Thornbury Vale, referring Mrs Chua for urgent assessment. In your answer: - Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences - Do not use note form - Use letter format The body of the letter should be approximately 180–200 words.
How to approach this referral letter
- The reader has never met the patient. State the reason for referral, and how urgent it is, in the first paragraph.
- Select the history, findings and investigation results that support the referral, and group them by topic rather than by date.
- End with what you are asking the reader to do, and any action you have already taken.
Members also get the model answer, the note-selection table and task-specific tips for this task.