Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, requiring collaborative patient-centred care. Patient engagement is fundamental to long-term management; patient-reported outcome measures are an increasingly recognised method of assessing medical interventions. A qualitative study of 31 patients with HF found they were twice as likely to use their own management strategies including electronic platforms rather than existing resources. Barriers to self-care included patient education, timely recognition of signs and symptoms of HF with an appropriate escalation plan, non-adherence and polypharmacy.