NHS England – Act FAST – Stroke Campaign

 

Even if it doesn’t seem like much, at the first sign of a stroke call 999

 

A stroke strikes every 5 minutes. Every year in the UK, there are around 100,000 strokes, causing 38,000 stroke-related deaths, and it is a leading cause of disability.

 

The first sign of a stroke might not seem serious, like not being able to raise your arm, or struggling to smile, or slurring when you speak.

 

Stroke symptoms can be less dramatic, painful or obvious than you might expect. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, any sign of a stroke is always an emergency, so call 999 immediately if you or someone else experiences a single symptom.

 

A stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention as every minute is vital. Acting FAST on any sign of a stroke gives stroke patients quicker access to specialist treatment that can be life-saving and could reduce the long-term effects such as a disability.

 

Whether it is a friend, loved one or even a passer-by, dialling 999 quickly saves lives.

 

Face or Arm or Speech, at the first sign, it’s Time to call 999.

 

Visit http://www.nhs.uk/ActFAST for more information.

 

BSL (British Sign Language) users can make a BSL video relay call to 999 using the 999 BSL website or app. Visit http://999BSL.co.uk

 

Text relay users can call 18000 to contact 999.

 

If you are a BSL user, deaf, have hearing loss or communication difficulties you can text 999 by registering your phone in advance. Visit http://www.emergencysms.co.uk

 

What are the aims of the campaign?

The aim of the campaign is to reduce the amount of time between someone having a stroke and arriving at hospital (and therefore receiving appropriate care including thrombolysis or thrombectomy, if appropriate) by:

  • Raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of a stroke
  • Raising awareness of stroke as a medical emergency
  • Raising awareness that you should call 999 even if you are not sure that someone is having a stroke
  • Increasing rapid patient reporting of stroke symptoms

 

What are the main signs of stroke?

The FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) acronym has featured in the advertising for a number of years and is a simple test to help people identify the most common signs of a stroke:

Think and Act FAST if you see any symptom 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.

 

Are there any other signs to be aware of?

There are some other signs that people should be aware of as these may occasionally be due to stroke. These include:

  • Sudden loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes
  • Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
  • Sudden memory loss or confusion
  • Sudden dizziness, unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially with any of the other signs