NHS Lanarkshire were told in 2013 that they need to change the service for the better in Orthopaedic service provision. They found that Hairmyres hospital was a cause of great concern for poor standards of care, lack of medical staff in orthopaedics and poorly managed. As a result they want to dismantle Monklands services which is the 3rd best A&E in Scotlant (the other two being paediatric A&E's) and move orthopaedics and trauma to Wishaw and Hairmyres. This automatically downgrades the A&E in Monkands. They deny that at present but it is the back door way to do that without having a public consultation. If they say that A&E is still fully functioning they can do it quicker with less hassle. A&E and Monkands has more trauma admissions than Hairmyres has better staffing and a better A&E. They plan to cut down beds and lose orthopaedics st one hospital when the three sites cannot cope with the influx at present. The patients in Monlands area are frailer with more medical problems and less life expectancy. Please sign this petition now to stop this being done without asking the public what they want! If your Gran or mum fall and break their hip and have to go to Hairmyres and you travel on a bus to visit it is 4-5 hours travel both ways! Stop this now! Keep the best A&E in Scotland safe!!! And don't believe the lies that it will stay fully functioning!