As part of the government's new National Cancer Plan - and the Rare Cancers Bill, which was introduced by Dr Scott Arthur MP and is currently going through Parliament, patients will be able to take part in clinical trials through the NHS App, giving them the chance to benefit from innovative approaches and technology to help fight their disease.

Initially, patients will be able to search for trials on the clinical research database and ask to be contacted. In time, patients will be able to sign up to automatically be offered the opportunity to receive details of clinical trials that might benefit them.

Secretary of state for health and social care, Wes Streeting, said: 'I know how painful it is for rare cancer patients and their families to be held back by a clinical trials system that was never designed with them in mind.

'We're modernising the NHS so rare cancer patients not only get breakthrough treatments faster, but so we have more experts in the right places able to boost survival rates for rare cancers across the country.'

By further integrating Be Part of Research - a free service which makes it easy to find and take part in vital health and care research across the UK - into the NHS App patients with rare cancers will be able to access greater opportunities of being matched with a trial which could ultimately save their life - and the lives of others.

Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: ‘People with rare cancers need to know what their options are, and whether more experimental treatments might be possible, especially if their cancer is hard to treat, or previous treatments haven't been successful.

'By making it easier for people to take part in the latest clinical trials we will help thousands more to try targeted treatments, as well as driving forward vital research to find out what works for these cancers as soon as possible.'

To strengthen this work still further the government plans to establish a Cancer Clinical Trials Accelerator, hosted and delivered through the NIHR Industry Hub. This will improve the speed and reliability of cancer trials as well as increasing their size and scope. By having a single pathway and clearer routes for investment everyone will benefit.