On 13 February 2023, NHS England, in association with the Stroke Association, relaunched their Act F.A.S.T. stroke campaign.

Act F.A.S.T.

Call 999 if you see any single one of the signs of a stroke. The Act F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) acronym provides a way of identifying the most common signs of a stroke and shows the importance of acting quickly by calling 999.

Think and Act F.A.S.T. if you see any one of these signs of a stroke:

• Face – has the person's face fallen on one side? Can they smile?

• Arms – can the person raise both arms and keep them there?

• Speech – is the person's speech slurred?

• Time – even if you’re not sure, call 999.

When Stroke Strikes Act F.A.S.T. Call 999.



A stroke is known as a ‘brain attack’. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention as every minute is vital. That is why calling 999 is so crucial. Early recognition of symptoms can give stroke patients those extra precious minutes, enabling faster access to specialist treatment and increasing the chances of a recovery which could reduce the long-term effects, such as a disability.

There are around 100,000 strokes in England, Scotland and Wales every year, with around 33,000 stroke related deaths each year, as well as being a leading cause of disability. Black people are twice as likely to have a stroke than white people, on average, people of black African, black Caribbean and South Asian descent in the UK have strokes at a younger age.