Act F.A.S.T. Campaign Relaunched To Save More Lives

An award-winning NHS stroke awareness campaign will screen again in 2011, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced today.

The Act F.A.S.T. campaign has raised awareness of the importance of getting people who are having a stroke to hospital quickly through its graphic depiction of stroke spreading like fire in the brain. The adverts will screen again for three weeks from Tuesday 1 March as part of a £740,000 campaign.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "The faster a stroke patient receives treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and reducing long-term disability. The Act FAST campaign is an effective campaign to help improve stroke outcomes - in the campaign's first four months alone stroke related calls to the ambulance service increased by more than 55 per cent.

"As part of our wider strategy to improve outcomes for stroke, re-running this campaign will save lives."

Launched in February 2009 with hard-hitting imagery to highlight the visible signs of stroke, the Act FAST campaign is designed to inform the public about FAST - Face, Arm, Speech, Time to call 999. FAST is a simple test to help people to recognise the signs of stroke and understand the importance of emergency treatment. The faster a stroke patient receives treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and reducing long-term disability.

According to National Audit Office figures for 2008/09, direct stroke care costs the NHS at least £3 billion a year, within a wider economic cost of about £8 billion, including lost income and productivity as a result of disability.

Joe Korner, Director of Communications at The Stroke Association said: “We know these adverts have saved lives by making people aware of the symptoms of stroke and the importance of getting to hospital quickly. Many people have contacted us to say how they’ve used FAST and how it’s made a difference to the recovery of their loved ones. We’re pleased with the impact and progress the campaign has made and urge everyone to remember the FAST message.”

Re-launching the Act F.A.S.T campaign is expected to help more people recognise the signs of stroke so that they can help family, friends and others should a stroke occur.

The campaign was recently recognised by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) who awarded it a Gold for effectiveness in November 2010.

(BMcN/GK)