NHS App to Help Patients Join Clinical Trials Faster

Patients will be able to browse and sign up for clinical trials through the NHS App, under a plan to boost participation in UK research. 

The feature will be delivered via the Be Part of Research  service, run by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). 

Over time, the NHS App will begin to match patients with relevant trials automatically, based on individual health data and preferences. Users can expect to receive push notifications about new studies they may be eligible for, according to the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Transparency and Performance

The DHSC said it would also publish data on the number of trials sponsored by both commercial and non-commercial sponsors at specific NHS trusts and other organisations, including universities and primary care sites. 

It plans to highlight top-performing sites, as well as those that underperform. Future government investment will be prioritised for those NHS Trusts that perform well in supporting trials. 

UK Playing Clinical Trial Catch-Up

The UK has fallen behind as a global destination for clinical trials, the DHSC warned. It said that studies were too slow to set up in the UK because of unnecessary bureaucracy and duplication of activities across different agencies and sites. 

Currently, trial sponsors must agree to separate contracts with each participating part of the NHS. As a result, it takes around 250 days to set up a trial in the NHS, compared with just 100 days in Spain.

National Contract and Faster Set-Up

To address these delays, the government pledged to introduce a “national standardised contract” for all trials. 

This is expected to simplify paperwork, remove duplication, and cut set-up times to 150 days by March 2026. The DHSC described it as the most ambitious reduction in clinical trial timelines in the UK’s history.

Professor Lucy Chappell, DHSC chief scientific adviser and NIHR chief executive, said the move aims to position the UK as a global hub for research.

Professor Andrew Morris, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “The global clinical trials market is estimated to be worth at least $80 billion by 2030 and countries that can demonstrate speed, quality, and cost will have a competitive edge.” 

He welcomed the commitment, saying that faster set-up and improved public access through the NHS App would help bring new treatments from “laboratory to bedside” more efficiently. 

Recruitment Initiative Launched

The announcement coincided with the launch of a UK-wide clinical trial recruitment drive by the NIHR.

Nicola Perrin, chief executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities, noted that many UK trials have closed due to poor recruitment . 

She welcomed efforts to increase participation from under-served and under-represented groups. 

Morris echoed the importance of inclusion, saying that “ success will depend on earning trust and addressing the broader barriers to diverse participation.”

Rob Hicks is a retired National Health Service doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written several books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online publications. He is based in the United Kingdom.