Airdrie and Coatbridge residents have turned out for a public meeting looking at plans to remove trauma and orthopaedic services from Monklands Hospital.

Around 70 locals turned out for the meeting which was organised by local Labour MSPs Elaine Smith and Richard Leonard who are arguing against what they claim is a "downgrading" of the hospital's A&E department.

It follows a protest by angry residents outside the hospital last weekend after the health board decided to concentrate orthopaedic trauma and elective services at Wishaw and Hairmyres hospitals for an interim period.

NHS Lanarkshire claims the temporary proposals will help address staffing concerns and ensure patient safety, with the long-term plan being for all orthopaedic trauma to be concentrated at Wishaw.

Monklands or Hairmyres will then be chosen as a dedicated elective centre following a public consultation which ends next month.

Ms Smith said: "Last Sunday's protest showed that local people and the wider public are very concerned about the lack of consultation surrounding plans to remove orthopaedics and trauma from Monklands Hospital.

"We fought against this downgrading of the A&E department 10 years ago, I'm not going to sit by watch as it's death by a thousand cuts to this hospital now."

She also claimed that the lack of consultation over the interim proposals was "completely unacceptable".

NHS Lanarkshire was invited to send a representative to the meeting in Coatbridge but declined to do so.

Dr Iain Wallace, NHS Lanarkshire medical director, said that under the proposals, all trauma and orthopaedic patients who do not require to be admitted will continue to be treated at Monklands.

He added that the hospital was not being downgraded and that the future of the site was safe.

"We will either refurbish or rebuild on the existing site or on one in very close proximity to the current hospital," he said.