Millions of people are set to take part in clinical trials as part of the 10 Year Health Plan.

People will now be able to sign up for trials via the NIHR Be Part of Research service on the NHS App.

Eventually, the App will automatically match patients with studies based on their health data and interests.

The NIHR has launched a UK-wide recruitment drive for clinical trials – the biggest ever health research campaign. Adult across the UK are being urged to register, with underrepresented groups including young people, Black people and people of South Asian heritage particularly encouraged to sign up.

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: "The UK was has been at the forefront of scientific and medical discovery throughout our history. Some country will lead the charge in the emerging revolution in life sciences, and why shouldn’t it be Britain?

"The 10 year plan for health will marry the genius of our country’s leading scientific minds, with the care and compassion of our health service, to put NHS patients at the front of the queue for new cutting-edge treatments.

"The NHS App will become the digital front door to the NHS, and enable all of us as citizens to play our part in developing the medicines of the future. The British people showed they were willing to be part of finding the vaccine for Covid, so why not do it again to cure cancer and dementia?

"By slashing through red tape and making it easier for patients to take part, reforms in our ten year plan will grow our life sciences sector, generate news funds for the NHS to reinvest in frontline care, and benefit patients through better medicines."

Professor Lucy Chappell, chief scientific adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and chief executive officer of the NIHR said: "We know the benefits of embedding clinical research across the NHS and beyond. It leads to better care for patients, more opportunities for our workforce and provides a huge economic benefit for our health and care system. Integrated into the NHS App, the NIHR Be Part of Research service enables members of the public to be matched to vital trials, ensuring the best and latest treatments and care get to the NHS quicker.

"Ensuring all sites are consistently meeting the 150-day or less set-up time will bring us to the starting line, but together we aim to go further, faster to ensure the UK is a global destination for clinical research to improve the health and wealth of the nation."