NHSE Knowledge Understanding Framework Materials

The Knowledge and Understanding Framework (KUF) was a national training programme designed to develop the skills, competence and confidence of staff working across the health, criminal justice and voluntary sectors, enabling them to work more effectively with people with complex emotional needs, often associated with a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’.

Through 2021-2024 NHSE (previously HEE) commissioned West London Trust to develop and host a knowledge and understanding framework hub; the KUF Hub. The KUF Hub and partners developed a suite of training materials to support KUF training. This Learning Hub site is for those NHS services that have previously undertaken any of the KUF Hub training programmes.

The material found within this site will not be further reviewed or updated.

Please note that KUF is a brand of training that is not only based upon these training materials but incorporates an ethos of co-production and co-delivery; KUF is a fully co-produced and co-facilitated training programme with trainers with lived experience working alongside trainers with clinical/practitioner experience and is quality assured by an external agent to ensure alignment to the principles of KUF. Therefore, whilst we trust these materials will be useful adjuncts to training for staff working with clients with a diagnosis of personality disorder or other complex emotional needs, we do not suggest that training should be called KUF training.

MH Trusts can continue to fund existing KUF trainer roles within their services and other lived experience roles as they consider appropriate. If you require local training to address knowledge of complex emotional needs and/or diagnosis of personality disorder locally, please liaise with your respective CPPO to commission such training.