Calling 999 as soon as symptoms of a stroke occur is crucial to saving lives and preventing permanent damage, a new campaign from NHS England highlights, as data shows people wait on average almost an hour and a half before making an emergency call to make.
About 100,000 people in Britain have a stroke every year. The potentially life-threatening condition occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Recent data shows that this number could increase to 151,000 per year by 2035.
Prompt treatment is crucial, both for survival and to reduce the chance of long-term problems such as paralysis, memory loss and communication problems.
However, new figures have revealed that the average time between the first symptom of a stroke and a call to 999 was 88 minutes.
The data has been released by NHS England as part of a new campaign to encourage people to act quickly if they see someone struggling to smile, struggling to raise an arm or speaking slurred – three common symptoms of a stroke.
The need for speed is encapsulated in the ‘golden hour’ – a 60-minute period after the onset of stroke symptoms when there is the greatest chance of saving brain tissue.
“These figures highlight very clearly that we need to do more to help people recognize the symptoms of stroke in themselves and others and take action to call 999 as soon as possible,” said Pro Sir Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England.
“The symptoms of a stroke may be less obvious or dramatic than you might expect, but even if it doesn’t seem like it, any sign of a stroke is always an emergency and it is crucial that you call 999 immediately.”
The data is published by the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Program at King’s College London. It was based on the analysis of data from 41,327 of the 60,307 stroke patients in England in 2023-2024 who were transported by ambulance, and covered those for whom the time of onset of first symptoms was known.
NHS England said a survey of 2,001 adults in England found that 57% believed people should have two or three symptoms of a stroke before calling 999, despite only one of these being a sign of a medical emergency. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) said their first action would not be to call 999 if they noticed someone suddenly struggling to smile.
The new impetus is an update of the Act FAST campaign, which was launched in 2009. That campaign encourages people to call 999 if they notice weakness in the face (F) or arms (A) or speech problems (S) over time. (T) be critical.
As well as new TV and radio adverts highlighting such symptoms, the latest drive will feature a film in which stroke survivors listen to audio recordings of the real 999 calls that saved their lives.
Although the NHS notes that a stroke can happen to anyone, those at greater risk include – including – people over 50, people from a black or South Asian background and people who have just had a baby.
Dr. David Hargroves, NHS England national clinical director for stroke and consultant stroke physician, said: “When someone has a stroke, it is estimated that they lose around 2 million brain cells per minute. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment is crucial. The first sign of a stroke may not seem like much, but face, 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 still much more to be done to save lives and reduce the long-term effects of strokes. Acting ‘QUICK’ remains essential – whether it is a friend, loved one or even a passer-by, calling 999 quickly saves lives.”