Long-awaited upgrades to Midwest WA's primary tertiary hospital are now expected to finish almost 10 years after the project was announced.
The McGowan Government promised to refurbish Geraldton Health Campus during the 2017 state election campaign.
Works were initially expected to end in 2022, but tender documents published this week reveal some of the upgrades will not be operational until at least mid-2026.
A State Government spokesperson said global supply chain issues and labour shortages have contributed to the delays.
"Everything is being done to ensure this project is delivered within a time frame in line with the community's expectations," the spokesperson said.
"Since coming to government we have started from scratch to plan, procure and build this new project.
"The second stage is out for expressions of interest and we're looking forward to seeing what the private sector puts forward."
It's the second time applications have been sought for the project's primary construction works, with previous tenders being over budget.
The cost of the project has since increased from $73.3 million to $122.7 million.
Upgrades to the hospital car park and main entrance were completed last year.
The next stage of the promise is delivery of an expanded emergency department, a new intensive care unit and a new integrated mental health unit.
Can upgrades meet demand?
Shadow regional health minister Martin Aldridge said the upgrades were welcome, but may not be enough to meet demand by the time they were completed.
"The redeveloped hospital designs were done many years ago, and they were about meeting service demand for 2024-2025 levels," he said.
"By the time we actually upgrade it, the risk is that… the Midwest region will have grown and the hospital will once again not be meeting the needs of the community now and into the future.
"By the time this project is actually delivered, it will almost be a decade after the Labor Party and (Geraldton MLA) Lara Dalton promised it."
Tender applications for the next phase of works close in January and Mr Aldridge said further project delays were likely.
"We now know that this key election commitment will not be delivered until after the next election," he said.
"I think it's an unrealistic time frame for the government to expect to deliver such a significant redevelopment, and disruption of the existing hospital [by mid-2026].
The State Government said patients would continue to receive high-quality care throughout the refurbishment process.
"These upgrades are not impacting service delivery, and people can be assured the hospital continues to provide great care for our communities," a spokesperson said.
"Healthcare at Geraldton Health Campus remains world class.
"We continue to have an excellent local health system with terrific doctors, nurses and other staff, delivering excellent care for local people."
