Thousands of people who have a stroke could be diagnosed and treated sooner as new data found that the average time between onset of first symptoms and a 999 call being made was nearly an hour and a half.

The data for London shows that nearly two-thirds of people in the capital think you should have two or three symptoms of a stroke before calling 999, despite just one symptom being a sign of a medical emergency.

More than three-quarters of those in the capital who took part in the survey said they would not call 999 first if they noticed someone was suddenly struggling to smile, despite facial weakness being a key symptom of a stroke, while over half wouldn’t call 999 first if someone they were with was suddenly slurring their speech, despite this being a key symptom of a stroke.

Around six out of ten people in London said they wouldn’t call 999 because they felt unsure about what the symptoms would mean, how serious they are or whether they needed to call 999 – despite more than half of London respondents having experience of a stroke personally or through someone they know.

London NHS Chief Nurse Jane Clegg said: “Like elsewhere in the country, people in London often don’t think of calling 999 at the first sign of a stroke. It is really important that people feel able to recognise the symptoms of a stroke in themselves and others, even if they don’t seem obvious at first.

“We need to increase awareness of the need to act fast and dial 999, which could help save and protect many more lives. 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 the long-term effects of a stroke.”

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. Without prompt treatment a stroke can result in death or long-term disabilities such as paralysis, memory loss and communication problems.

While more people are now surviving a stroke than ever before thanks to advances in NHS care, strokes remain the fourth single leading cause of death in the UK, with 38,000 stroke-related deaths each year.

Notes to editors

The first signs of a stroke include:

Face weakness – it might be hard to smile, and one side of your face may droop (fall)

Arm weakness – you may not be able to fully lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in one arm

Speech problems – you may slur your words or sound confused

Other symptoms that could be the first sign you or someone else is having a stroke include:

Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of your body (including in your leg)

Sudden loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes

Sudden difficulty speaking or thinking of words Sudden memory loss or confusion

Sudden severe headache

Sudden dizziness, unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially with any of the other signs

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