A new campaign from the NHS in England is encouraging people who experience the first signs of a stroke not to delay calling 999, as analysis of calls made over the past year has shown that doing so The average time was about an hour and a half.

England’s most senior doctor says stroke symptoms may not appear obvious or dramatic, but they are always a reason to take immediate action.

Around 100,000 people have a stroke each year in the UK and more than a third die from related issues, making it the fourth leading cause of death in the UK.

The most common symptoms are difficulty smiling or raising hands and slurring words when speaking.

NHS England says it is important to recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or others and dial 999 immediately to get prompt, specialist treatment.

Yet, NHS data shows the average time taken to make that emergency call in 2023-24 was 88 minutes.

The analysis by a team at King’s College London looked at data from more than 41,000 stroke patients who were taken to hospital by ambulance.

NHS England also said that a recent survey they conducted found the misconception that two or three stroke symptoms were necessary before calling 999.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, medical director of NHS England, said people must act fast to help save lives.

“These figures highlight very clearly that we must do more to help people recognize the symptoms of stroke in themselves and others, and take action to call 999 as soon as possible. ,

He said stroke symptoms “may be less obvious or dramatic than you expect,” but he also said that even if it doesn’t seem like it, any sign of a stroke is always an emergency.

A stroke occurs when blood stops flowing to a part of your brain.

The first symptoms include:

• facial weakness – it may be difficult to smile, and one side of your face may droop
• Arm weakness – weakness or numbness in one arm may cause you to not be able to fully lift both arms and keep them there
• Problems speaking – you may slur your words or seem confused

Other symptoms may be:

• Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of your body (including your leg)
• Sudden vision loss or blurred vision in one or both eyes
• Sudden difficulty speaking or thinking about words
• sudden memory loss or confusion
• sudden severe headache
• sudden dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden fall, especially with no other symptoms

Source: NHS.uk

The NHS TV and radio campaign features a man struggling to smile while watching TV, a decorator suddenly unable to lift a paint roller, and a grandmother struggling to read a bedtime story to her grandson .

A film even shows stroke survivors listening to recordings of the actual 999 call that saved their lives.

The message of the campaign is that without quick action, the chances of dying from a stroke or being left with long-term issues such as paralysis, memory loss and communication problems are far higher.

Surviving a stroke is the start of a long and painful battle to return to a normal life, the Stroke Association charity said.

“If you notice any of the three common symptoms of a stroke in someone, the first thing you should do is call 999,” said Juliette Bouverie OBE, chief executive of the association. “The sooner multiple stroke treatments are given, the better.”