FAQ: What are PUNs and DENs?

What are PUNs?

PUNs are Patients’ Unmet Needs.

They are discovered in consultations simply by asking ourselves at the end, when the patient has gone, ‘How could I have done better?’ During consultations we are commonly aware of gaps in our ability, gaps in the in house systems or attitudinal problems. You need to focus on the patient’s needs to identify these. The doctor, not the patient, will decide whether the patient’s needs have been met.

What are DENs?

Recognition of deficiencies leads to the discovery of Doctors’ Educational Needs, DENs.

When you discover Patients’ Unmet Needs you have found your first PUN, leading you on to then construct your DEN.

We’ve put together this template to make it really easy to identify plenty of PUNs, leading you on to then create the DENs, all together in a very presentable AppraisalAid template to upload to your favourite appraisal toolkit like Clarity or Fourteen Fish when you login.

How do I record PUNs and DENs?

If you’re an NASGP member, you can login to LocumDeck to access our members-only resource with downloadable or cloud-based template for recording PUNs and DENs.

Join NASGP’s FREE three-month trial for access to all your essential appraisal resources.

The NASGP is the UK’s only independent membership body for the flexible, urgent and community workforce. We are a national advocacy for the sessional workforce, working in partnership with NHS organisations to support local, sustainable workforce solutions.

Home to thousands of portfolio and sessional healthcare professionals, the NASGP represents a driving force behind change, innovation and progression. Providing members with holistic career support, security and advocacy, the organisation is constantly evolving to enable the NHS to realise and access a more sustainable and efficient workforce model.