It's all about clinical research this autumn, as medical research funders turn their attention to translating benchside research into bedside treatments. Even the Department of Health has a brave new plan for funding research and development in the NHS.

Clinical research has been fraught with difficulties in the past, not least because trusts have been more concerned with meeting government targets and cutting waiting lists than organising clinical trials. Also, research in the NHS used to be something of a mystery. Hundreds of millions of pounds went in every year, and knowledge came out the other side. But what happened in between was anybody's guess. So it's not surprising that transparency is top of the list in the new strategy, Best Research for Best Health. It proposes organising NHS research facilities, staff and funding under a National Institute for Health Research. The virtual institute would provide a much-needed central structure. It would also gather research-active staff in a faculty to promote research careers in the NHS and foster an esprit de corps.

Of course, hospitals also play host to a variety of research that is funded from external sources, such as charities or research councils. With this in mind, the reorganisation will also aim to make funding research in the NHS less painful to external organisations. For example, there will be "technology platforms" to support clinical research in hospitals.

Transparency, focus and virtual centres are all well and good, but what about the money? Here, the strategy does not disappoint. In-house funding will cease to be allocated based on how much research a university has done in the past, and will instead follow patient involvement in health studies. Existing funding schemes will also be expanded and made more streamlined.

There will also be new funding schemes, the most popular of which is likely to be the responsive-mode fund for blue-skies research to support researchers' own ideas. Not that the other three schemes will disappoint: a programme for applied research, a challenge fund for innovation and an award for "risky" research.

So, after a busy summer, the DH has finally got a plan. But did it get it right? It wants to hear from the medical research community. Taking part could not be easier, just email RDconsultation@dh.gsi.gov.uk by October 21.

· Linda Nordling is news editor of Research Fortnight. ln@researchresearch.com