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GP Training: Goal-setting for Patients Living with Multimorbidity

Learn how to use goal-setting to support patients living with long term health conditions and become a goal-setting GP.

1,575 enrolled on this course

Image showing a GP and patient in conversation
  • Duration

    3 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • Accreditation

    AvailableMore info

Introduce goal-setting to improve the lives of those living with multimorbidity

On this course, you will discover the practice of goal setting in a primary care context.

You will learn what goal-setting is and how it can help those living with multimorbidity. Through three interactive sessions, you will you explore and understand the different steps of goal-setting and learn how to put it into practice with your patients.

You will be supported by experts, as you reflect on the benefits and challenges of the practice and evaluate your own readiness to become a goal-setting GP.

What topics will you cover?

  • A definition of goal-setting and its role in managing patients living with multimorbidity
  • The three key steps in the goal-setting process:- patient preparation, eliciting goals, and collaborative action planning
  • Putting goal-setting into practice with your own patients
  • Reflecting on the experience of goal-setting and dealing with challenges
  • Follow-up and review of goal attainment

Who is this accredited by?

Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of General Practitioners:

This course has been accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Recognise the role of patient preparation in the (initiation of) the goal-setting process
  • Explore approaches to eliciting and legitimising goals through active listening and recognising patient cues
  • Describe how to work collaboratively with patients to agree specific and realistic goals
  • Apply learning to clinical practice with patients
  • Evaluate the experience of applying goal-setting to real world practice
  • Explore challenges to goal setting
  • Identify how to discuss and record ongoing goal attainment over time with patients living with multimorbidity
  • Summarise the goal-setting process

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for GPs of all levels (GP trainees, newly trained, qualified or experienced in general practice) looking to use goal-setting with patients living with multiple long term conditions.

This project is accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners and supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East of England Programme. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Who will you learn with?

Nick was a GP in Norwich, and is now a public health professor at the University of East Anglia. His research aims to improve the health of older people with multiple conditions seen in primary care.

I am a practising GP in Norwich, Norfolk. I am also a GP Research Fellow at the University of East Anglia, where I have a research interest in patient-centred care and the management of polypharmacy.

GP with an interest in medical education.

Who developed the course?

UEA (University of East Anglia)

The University of East Anglia is an internationally renowned university providing top quality academic, social and cultural facilities to over 15,000 students from over 100 countries around the globe.

Endorsers and supporters

supported by

UEA Health and Social Care Partners logo

supported by

NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research Care East of England logo

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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