NHS England has launched a stoke campaign to encourage people not to delay calling 999 if they notice or experience the first symptoms of one.
The campaign will urge the public to call 999 immediately even if the first sign of a stroke does not seem like an emergency. It will include advertising across TV, TV on demand and radio.
It comes as analysis of NHS data, published by the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme at King’s College London, found that the average time between the first symptom and 999 call was 88 minutes in 2023/24, across 41,327 patients.
Around 100,000 people have a stroke each year in the UK, which occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, with 38,000 stroke-related deaths each year.
The three common symptoms of a stroke include struggling to smile or raise an arm, or slurring words.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS England, said: ‘These figures highlight very clearly that we must do more to support people to recognise the symptoms of stroke in themselves and others and take action to call 999 at the earliest opportunity.
‘Stroke symptoms can be less obvious or dramatic than you might expect, but even if it doesn’t seem like it, any sign of stroke is always an emergency and it’s vital you call 999 immediately.
‘This campaign is so important – greater awareness of the need to act fast and dial 999 could help save and protect many more lives, as we know that earlier recognition of symptoms and immediate action to call 999 can enable faster access to specialist treatment and the best chance of reducing long-term effects of a stroke.’
Dr David Hargroves, NHS national clinical director for stroke and consultant stroke physician, said: ‘When someone has a stroke, it’s estimated they may lose around two million brain cells a minute, which is why rapid diagnosis and treatment is critical – the first sign of a stroke might not seem like much, but face or arm or speech, at the first sign it’s time to call 999.
‘Thanks to greater awareness of the symptoms and advances in NHS care, more people are now surviving a stroke than ever before, but there is much more to do help save lives and reduce the long-term impact of strokes. Acting FAST remains vital – whether it is a friend, loved one or even a passer-by, dialling 999 quickly saves lives.’
