There are approximately 110,000 strokes per year in England alone, but there remains a worrying level of ignorance amongst the general public as to how to spot the symptoms of stroke and what to do as a result.
A multi-channel campaign, aimed at a core elderly audience, pinpointed where stroke happens, the signs to look out for, and the action that needs to be taken with a memorable acronym, F.A.S.T: (Face; Arms; Speech; Time to call 999). The campaign successfully changed behaviour fast: within a year, an estimated 9,864 more people got to hospital faster, 642 of whom were saved from death or serious disability via clot-busting treatment. It achieved a payback of £3.20 for every £1 spent.