From 13 February 2023, NHS England, in association with the Stroke Association, is relaunching the Act F.A.S.T. stroke campaign, which highlights that a stroke is a medical emergency and urges the public to call 999 immediately, if they notice any single one of the signs of a stroke in themselves or others.
There are around 100,000 strokes in England, Scotland and Wales every year,[1] with around 33,000 stroke related deaths each year,[2] as well as being a leading cause of disability[3].
The F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) acronym provides a memorable way of identifying the most common signs of a stroke and emphasises the importance of acting quickly by calling 999.
Think and Act F.A.S.T. if you see any single one of these signs of a stroke:
- Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
- Arms – can they raise both arms and keep them there?
- Speech – is their speech slurred?
- Time – even if you’re not sure, call 999.
When Stroke Strikes Act F.A.S.T. Call 999
A stroke is known as a ‘brain attack’. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention as every minute is vital. That is why calling 999 is so crucial. Early recognition of symptoms can give stroke patients those extra precious minutes, enabling faster access to specialist treatment.
Whether it is a friend, loved one or even a stranger, dialing 999 quickly and acting F.A.S.T saves lives and gives stroke patients their best chance to access emergency procedures and to have recovery which could reduce the long-term effects such as a disability.
[1] Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) CCG Outcomes Indicator Set (OIS) England and Wales April-March 2020/21 SSNAP – Home (strokeaudit.org) and Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke Incidence Scotland 2021/22 Public Health Scotland
[2] ONS Sheet 10a: Leading causes of death by sex and age group, England and Wales, registered 2021 Home – Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) and National Records of Scotland (NRS) – Deaths and Population Cerebrovascular Disease Table 2a: Trends in mortality 2021 Public Health Scotland
[3] Is stroke the most common cause of disability? – Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases (strokejournal.org)
