Act FAST

If you suspect that someone is having a stroke act FAST

With over 150,000 people in the UK having a stroke every year, it is imperative that people can recognise a stroke when it's happening and take prompt action.

What is FAST?

FAST requires an assessment of three specific symptoms of stroke:

Facial weakness - can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
Arm weakness - can the person raise both arms?
Speech problems - can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
Time to call 999.

If the person has failed any one of these tests, you must call 999. Stroke is a medical emergency and by calling 999 you can help someone reach hospital quickly and receive the early treatment they need. 

FAST Forward email campaign
The Stroke Association has launched an email campaign, sponsored by GE Healthcare, to tell people about the FAST test. If you have received this email, please do send it on to as many people as possible – let’s fight stroke together!

If you have not received the email, but would like to pass this important message on to your friends and family, click here to access and forward the email.

Materials
You can order copies of our FAST posters and leaflets (117 kb) [pdf] or download the materials here.

Watch this short film or click here to learn more about FAST.