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DOH stroke awareness campaign to save lives and money

Department of Health stroke awareness campaign to save lives and money

A three year campaign to promote public awareness of stroke symptoms was launched by the Department of Health today. Strokes are the third leading cause of death and the single largest cause of adult disability in England.

Recognising stroke symptoms

Health secretary Alan Johnson said: "This campaign will help make sure that people having a stroke and those around them can recognise the signs and appreciate the need for fast emergency treatment." The campaign will focus on a simple test that can be used to identify the first signs of stroke, known as FAST: face, arm, speech, time to call 999.

Cost savings

In addition to saving lives, it is hoped the campaign will deliver significant cost savings to the NHS. Currently, stroke care costs the NHS £2.8bn a year, while income and productivity losses as a result of disability cost the wider economy a further £18bn.

'Fire in the brain'

National director for heart disease and stroke Professor Roger Boyle said: "Stroke spreads like a fire in the brain - the sooner you get to treatment and put the fire out, the less damage is caused to the brain. "The faster a stroke patient receives emergency treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and minimising long term disability."

Improving public awareness of the signs of stroke is a key element of the government's national stroke strategy, published in December 2007.

For more information on the national stroke strategy, go to www.dh.gov.uk

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