Act FAST this winter

About stroke
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As temperatures drop, it is important that we take care of our friends and family.

Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK. It can happen to anyone, of any age, at any time.

You may have heard that our emergency services are under pressure this winter. Please remember that stroke is always a medical emergency. You must ring 999 immediately if you see the signs of a stroke.

The quicker people are diagnosed and treated, the better their chances of making a good recovery. Make sure you know the signs of a stroke and how to recognize them.

Share this message with your friends and family and urge Government to prioritise stroke care this winter.

Share this message now

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If you think your friend or family member is having a stroke, act FAST:

Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?

Arms – can they raise both their arms and keep them there?

Speech – is their speech slurred?

Time – time to call 999.

FAST test

Make sure you and your loved ones are familiar with the FAST test. Download a free FAST guide today.

Stay safe this festive season.

Best wishes,

My Stroke Guide Team

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I cannot agree with the emphasis on FAST to identify whether someone is having a stroke. Asking around our Zoom exercise class no-one had identified in this way. At a Stroke Association forum a medically trained person agreed that the mass advertising, including TV, of FAST had not been successful. In my own case I had weakness on one side and sort of pins and needles. I probably would have ignored it - thinking it would go away. Luckily I rang our GP son and he told me to take 300 mg aspirin and get to A&E immediately. I had suffered an ischaemic stroke.

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Thanks for your reply.

The FAST signs are certainly not the only signs of stroke. They just happen to be the most common.

We have a page on our website that highlights some of the other signs, if anyone is interested in reading about those:

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