Adults stretching and exercising
Adults stretching on an exercising mat
A man exercising with weights
A man exercising
Two men sat on chairs in a gym environment

MANCHESTER ACTIVE REFERRAL SERVICE

If your mental or physical health is stopping you from being active, Manchester Active is here to help.

Here you can manage your health journey through a physical activity referral from a health professional.

There are many reasons you might be referred. It could relate to your physical or mental health or both.

You would be referred by a professional who is familiar with you and your health barrier, and who feels that increased activity levels could improve your health.

We work with qualified community providers and instructors to deliver sessions in local leisure or community centres. We offer a range of different activities, so we will always try and find something to suit you! Some sessions are free of charge, and others carry a small cost.

BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW, YOU ARE DECLARING THAT;
  1. Your client is a resident of Manchester OR your client has a Manchester GP?
  2. Your client is aged 18 years old or older
  3. Your client is fit to exercise and has no unstable medical condition(s) that might interfere with exercising safely.
  4. The client’s medical conditions are controlled and stable and they have agreed to follow the advice given to them from a relevant medical professional before starting the programme.

For more information, please contact the team on: 0161 974 7839 or physicalactivityteam@mcractive.com

Welcome to Manchester Active PARS.

PARS offers specialist support and physical activity opportunities for people living with long term health conditions that require a tailored delivery approach. Our exercise sessions follow an evidence-based approach and are specific to meet the needs of conditions such as coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Diabetes and stroke amongst other long term health conditions.

On receipt of your referral, you will be invited to attend a one-to-one consultation with one of Manchester Active’s Physical Activity Referral officers (PARO).  The initial consultation will deliver an in-depth health screening tool to help ensure you are prescribed the most suitable activity session to meet your health needs.  Your PARO will work with you to identify and agree goals that are important to you, whist helping you increase your activity levels across a 12-week rehabilitation intervention.

All activity sessions will be booked by your PARO at your initial consultation.  You will be reviewed after a 12-week programme of sessions with regards your progress through to the next stage of your health and fitness journey.

Click the HERE to view the PARS activities.

Are you ready to start your wellbeing journey?

You’ve been assessed as ready for independent exercise, and we’re here to help you take the next step. We understand that finding the right activities to support your health, manage a specific condition, or simply boost your overall wellbeing can feel overwhelming.

There are a range of opportunities available across Manchester, so use our activity finder to discover what’s near you.

ACCESS THE ACTIVITY FINDER HERE

At Manchester Active, we’re proud to support Manchester City Council’s sustainability pledge to reduce carbon emissions and build a greener, healthier city for all.

As part of our commitment, we’re making a simple but impactful change: moving from printed letters to digital communication via text and email.

Last year, we received 8,586 referrals into our service—a number that continues to grow as we want to help Mancunians move more and have a more active lifestyle. While this is fantastic news for public health, the environmental impact of sending thousands of letters is not.

By switching to digital communication, we will:

  • Reduce our carbon footprint and paper waste
  • Save money that can be reinvested into community services
  • Reach clients faster, helping them begin their exercise journey sooner

This change is a win for the planet, a win for our clients, and a win for Manchester.

Together, we’re making movement matter—for our health and our environment.