The decision to downgrade was widely criticised, with the former Home Secretary, John Reid MP, voicing his disapproval of the plans. In September 2006, the plan was approved by Lewis MacDonald, Deputy Health and Community Care minister. In May 2007, the Labour administration lost out to the Scottish National Party in the 2007 Scottish Parliament election and the decision was overturned by the new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon. She demanded that NHS Lanarkshire find a way of keeping three fully functioning consultant-led A+E departments in Lanarkshire. In 2009 NHS Lanarkshire developed seven possible combinations of keeping three A+E departments open; these were subsequently delivered for public scrutiny.