South West medical director calls for people to not delay calling an ambulance at the first signs of a stroke, as NHS launches stroke campaign
The NHS has launched the first major update to the ‘Act FAST’ campaign since 2009, urging the public to call 999 immediately if anyone experiences one of the three common symptoms of struggling to smile (Face) or raise an arm (Arms), or slurring their words (Speech).
The campaign comes as new data shows the average time between onset of first symptom and a 999 call being made last year was nearly an hour and a half.
Dr Kheelna Bavalia, NHS England – South West medical director, today urged the public to call 999 even if the first sign of stroke doesn’t seem like an emergency, and said immediate action at the first sign of a stroke “could help save and protect many more lives”.
As part of the campaign launch, a powerful new film has also been released which features stroke survivors listening back to audio recordings of the real 999 calls that saved their lives, including two South West residents.
In 2021, GP Dr John Stephens and his wife Margaret (Margo), had just returned from their summer holiday in France to their home in Dorset
As John got up early to get ready for work, Margo noticed that he was stumbling and slurring his speech. Margo was a speech and language therapist who specialised in stroke rehabilitation, so was immediately concerned.
She did the FAST test and saw that he was struggling to smile and unable to raise his left arm. This prompted her to quickly call 999 and John was taken to Royal Bournemouth Hospital by the South Western Ambulance Service, where he was assessed using a CT brain scan and rapidly transferred to Southampton Hospital for a Mechanical Thrombectomy to remove a blood clot in his brain.
After 10 days in hospital, John was transferred for intensive rehabilitation on the Acute Stroke Unit at Poole General Hospital, before returning home after six weeks.
Since recovering from his stroke, John is back to walking his dog and has returned to work in General Practice which he’s delighted about. John is immensely grateful for his wife’s fast actions and credits her with saving his life.
John said: “It’s vital that more people know the different ways a stroke can present itself. I’m so lucky that, not only was my wife with me when I had my stroke, but she dialled 999 immediately after recognising the signs from her work as a speech and language therapist. My symptoms weren’t dramatic, but it’s vital to act quickly as soon as you spot any one of the symptoms. Thanks to her fast actions, I’m now delighted to say that I’ve recovered well and have been given a second chance in life.”
The campaign also includes Pete Ward from Bristol. Pete was getting ready for work one morning in November 2022 when he noticed that he was having difficulty raising his right arm to brush his teeth and eat his cornflakes and was dropping his phone.
When he found he was unable to walk up the stairs, he called out for his wife, Tracey. She was unable to understand him as his speech was slurred so she immediately dialled 999.
Pete was blue-lighted to the hospital where doctors told him that he had experienced a stroke. He spent six days in hospital with daily physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational health checks, before being discharged to continue his recovery at home.
The rehabilitation process was intense, but Pete was determined to return to work where he is an insurance surveyor. Three months after his stroke, Pete was back at work part-time and has been increasing his hours ever since.
He was advised to join a local network, Bristol After Stroke, which has helped support him through some of the challenges of recovery, and ten months after his stroke, Pete celebrated an important milestone when he completed a one-mile walk.
Pete said: “The symptoms might not seem like much, but spotting the first signs early on is what saved my life when I had a stroke one morning before work. After I struggled to lift my arm to brush my teeth and slurred my speech, my wife, Tracey’s quick action in dialling 999 meant I got the urgent care that I needed. Thanks to her and the swift treatment I received, I’m now getting back to work and feeling positive about my recovery.”
New analysis of NHS data shows that for 2023-24, of 41,327 patients with a recorded time of symptom onset, the average time between first symptom and a 999 call being made was 88 minutes.
While the first sign of a stroke might not seem like much – like not being able to raise your arm, or struggling to smile, or slurring when you speak – any sign of a stroke is always an emergency.
The NHS campaign launches with a brand new TV advert showing example symptoms which will run across TV, TV on demand and radio in England until mid December.
Dr Bavalia 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.
“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.”
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.