BBC Democracy Live - NHS Lanarkshire improvements urgent - Health secretary 17 December 2013 Last updated at 15:43 Help Health Secretary Alex Neil said he expected improvements at NHS Lanarkshire "urgently" during a ministerial statement on a review of the health board on 17 December 2013. The health secretary had commissioned the review by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) in August following the publication of mortality data which showed that Monklands and Wishaw Hospitals had high ratios for the previous quarter. Mr Neil said the HIS review team "concluded that a broad range of improvements are necessary for NHS Lanarkshire to continue its commitment to delivering safe and effective patient care. The minister said a government-appointed team would now ensure rapid improvements were made. Scottish Labour health spokesperson Neil Findlay said the "brief statement" lacked the detail he would have expected which was a "disgrace and an affront to the people of Lanarkshire." Mr Neil hit back saying the detail was all in the report and the purpose of the statement was to give the government's reaction to the report.