“My arm went weak and my speech slurred for half an hour yesterday — but it’s fine now, so no harm done?”

A transient, fully-resolving FOCAL neurological deficit of presumed vascular origin (unilateral weakness, dysarthria/dysphasia, facial droop, amaurosis fugax) is a TRANSIENT ISCHAEMIC ATTACK — and full recovery does NOT mean "no harm done": a TIA is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY and a strong warning of imminent stroke (risk highest in the first days), so the resolution is precisely why it must be acted on urgently. Take a focused history (deficit type/onset/duration/complete resolution, FAST features, amaurosis fugax, palpitations suggesting AF, prior episodes, vascular risk) and arrange a same-day face-to-face examination, which video cannot provide (BP, pulse/rhythm for AF, carotids, a neuro exam confirming resolution, CVS), considering mimics (hypoglycaemia, seizure with Todd’s paresis, migraine aura, syncope) but treating as TIA until excluded. Give ASPIRIN 300 mg immediately (unless contraindicated or already anticoagulated, per local pathway) and refer immediately for SPECIALIST TIA-clinic assessment within 24 HOURS of onset — NICE NG128 says do not use scoring systems such as ABCD2 to decide urgency — for carotid imaging, specialist-decided brain imaging (no CT unless an alternative diagnosis that CT could detect is suspected), ECG, bloods and secondary prevention (antiplatelet — long-term clopidogrel in most — or anticoagulation if AF, NICE NG196; atorvastatin 80 mg, NICE NG238; BP control to systolic below 130 mmHg, smoking cessation, diabetes optimisation, carotid endarterectomy if significant symptomatic stenosis), reframing the TIA as a treatable warning. Critically, advise the patient MUST NOT DRIVE: Group 1 (car) 1 month off (multiple TIAs over a short period: 3 months attack-free with DVLA notification; notify if residual deficit), Group 2 (HGV/bus) must stop, notify DVLA and wait 1 year for relicensing — advise clearly and document. The hidden agenda is minimisation ("it’s passed, no harm done", attending only at his wife’s insistence); firmly but supportively correct it, convey urgency and the prevention opportunity, and never be reassured by the recovery.