East Midlands must Act FAST when it comes to strokes

Public Health England (PHE) has launched the Act FAST campaign to raise awareness about the signs of a stroke.

Seán Meehan, health and wellbeing programme lead for PHE in the East Midlands, said: “Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in England, and in the East Midlands strokes lead to more than 2,000 deaths every year – with 2,595 people dying from a stroke in 2016.”

The public is urged to call 999 if they notice even one of the signs of a stroke in themselves, or in others -

n Face – has their face fallen on one side?

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

n Speech – is their speech slurred?

n Time – time to call 999

Tony Rudd, national clinical director for stroke with NHS England, added: “Urgent treatment for strokes is essential, so friends and family can play a key part in making sure their loved ones receive care as quickly as possible.

“Every minute counts and knowing when to call 999 - if you see any one of the signs of stroke - will make a significant difference to someone’s recovery and rehabilitation.”

NHS Mansfield and Ashfield CCG currently has 3674 patients currently registered as having suffered a stroke, while NHS Newark and Sherwood CCG has 2893 and NHS Nottingham West CCG has 2017.

While the majority of strokes happen to people aged 70 and above, 38 per cent occur in people aged 40 to 69.