Nicola Sturgeon said the NHS was being "decimated"

Nicola Sturgeon threw down the gauntlet during the first First Ministers' Questions in the new parliament.

Ms Sturgeon, who is in charge at Holyrood because leader Alex Salmond is not an MSP, said the NHS was being "decimated without rhyme or reason".

Mr McConnell said a considered judgement would be made on each closure-threatened hospital unit.

A confident Ms Sturgeon began by asking the Mr McConnell whether he could raise his game in the new parliament building.

He responded: "My biggest disappointment so far has been my inability to convince Nicola Sturgeon and her colleagues that we have the vision and determination to secure a future for Scotland both within the UK and also within the wider world."

It is not consistent for Nicola Sturgeon to call for national control at the same time as call for health boards to be elected at a local level Jack McConnell First Minister

He went on to talk of the need for confidence and ambition, and said: "I am looking forward to these weekly exchanges because I think they will give me the opportunity to convince Ms Sturgeon and her colleagues that we do have that ambition for Scotland."

The banter was followed by a serious exchange about NHS reform in Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon said communities were "up in arms" because hospitals in places like Caithness, Inverclyde and Glasgow were facing closure.

She said: "These closure decisions are being taken by health boards which are unelected and unaccountable.

"Will the first minister take control of this situation and put in place a clear national strategy for the future of the NHS in Scotland?."

Mr McConnell said he understood the concerns of many and believed the reforms would produce real challenges for health boards.

However, he said it was paramount that decisions were made for the benefit of the people of Scotland.

'Big ideas'

Mr McConnell added: "It is not consistent for Nicola Sturgeon to call for national control at the same time as call for health boards to be elected at a local level."

Ms Sturgeon will continue to square up to Mr McConnell at First Ministers' Questions for the foreseeable future.

When the new parliament building opened for business on Tuesday, Ms Sturgeon described the legislative proposals outlined by Mr McConnell as inadequate and disappointing and offered her own "big ideas for a big parliament".

The MSP for Glasgow proposed a string of other policies, including a bullet train between Glasgow and Edinburgh and a Green Card scheme to attract skilled foreign workers to Scotland.