Table 1 Seven key principles of the Bridges self-management programme

Reflection: Attributing changes and progress to personal effort, not the skills of the healthcare professional

Self-discovery: Finding new ways of doing things and trying out different activities and strategies.

Goal setting: Avoiding clinician-led goals, focussing on patient priorities and what is meaningful and relevant. Encouraging small steps to promote feelings of success and working towards longer-term aspirational goals.

Accessing resources: Using available resources to achieve personal goals. Including their own past skills and experiences

Problem solving: To come up with different ideas, strategies, and ways to adjust, rather than relying on suggestions from healthcare professional

Activity: Encouraging any activity, however small.

Knowledge: Knowledge about their condition, but also about what works for their own situation and challenges.