Glasgow Royal Infirmary: A&E

The board decided on plans to modernise treatment by focusing in-patient care at three of the city's six hospitals - the Royal Infirmary, Gartnaval, and a hospital in the south of the city, which could be the Southern General or a new purpose-built facility.

The Western Infirmary will close completely under the plan - transferring its services to Gartnavel Hospital.

Stobhill Hospital and the Victoria Infirmary will become Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic (ACAD) hospitals - where it is hoped patients will be seen, diagnosed and treated on a day care basis.

These plans have been under discussion for more than two years, and will take over a decade to implement.

Accident and emergency

It is expected that the board will order the preparation of a business plan on the Stobhill site, after it was chosen as its preferred site for the medium-secure facilities.

Stobhill Hospital is the preferred site for the secure unit

This decision comes despite a vociferous campaign by local residents, who are opposed to such a facility.

Last year about 30 demonstrators staged a picket outside Parkhead football stadium, where the final public meeting on the site for the medium-secure unit was being held.

Two MSPs and three local councillors joined residents as they boycotted the meeting.

However, Scotland desperately needs more medium-secure facilities - some 40 patients are currently held in the state hospital at Carstairs despite the fact that they do not need such a high level of security.

Health minister Malcolm Chisholm said the shake-up proposals amounted to "significant and far-reaching changes" in the way NHS acute hospital services are organised in Glasgow.

We need decisive action to expand Glasgow's health service, not more cuts, and we need it soon.

SNP health spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon

"They deserve careful scrutiny and detailed analysis by the executive," he said.

He said a range of views had been expressed as part of a consultation process.

"Strong views will also be expressed in the days and weeks to come. I believe one common strand, however, is that the status quo is not an option," said the minister.

However, SNP shadow health minister Nicola Sturgeon said the plans would result in cutbacks to services.

"We need decisive action to expand Glasgow's health service, not more cuts, and we need it soon," she said.