MULTI-million-dollar funding for St John of God (SJOG) Midland Public Hospital in the state budget has left the Australian Medical Association (AMA) WA and the Opposition health spokeswoman Libby Mettam disappointed with Labor’s commitment.

According to the WA budget $5 million would be allocated to progress planning for the expansion of the emergency department (ED) at SJOG Midland.

The state government said the ED expansion would help deliver services to the growing Swan and Perth Hills population.

“The number of ED attendances is expected to grow by 38 per cent by 2031-32,” a state government spokesperson said.

In the budget report there was no funding allocated for the next four years to build the planned infrastructure.

In an April 2 statement Midland MLA Steve Catania welcomed Labor’s federal and state election promises to upgrade Midland Hospital.

“The Cook Labor government’s confirmation of an additional $50m on top of the $105m already committed to upgrade the emergency department and specialised mental health unit at Midland Hospital is exciting news and proof that we will never stop working towards ensuring the people in the electorate of Midland live in the healthiest state in the country,” Mr Catania said.

Ms Mettam said the state government failed to uphold its election promise.

“These promised expansions were already a desperate catch-up for a system under extreme pressure, now they have effectively been kicked down the road until who knows when,” she said.

“Add to record levels of ambulance ramping, out of control elective surgery waitlists and children waiting more than three years to see a specialist and you have a health system in free fall, yet the Premier and Treasurer choose to build a racetrack and pump more billions into Metronet.

“Labor’s misplaced priorities are putting lives at risk.”

AMA president Michael Page said more needed to be done to address the public hospital crisis in WA.

“It was disappointing but not altogether surprising to see no meaningful acknowledgement in the state budget of the deep and worsening crisis of public hospital bed capacity in Western Australia,” he said.

Dr Page said determining the exact amount for the project needed more detailed work but it would be in the billions.

“What we need to hear from the government before we get to the dollars and cents is an acknowledgement that what we currently have isn’t enough, followed by a commitment to fix it.”

Dr Page said as the state fell deeper into a health infrastructure debt, the road to get out of the crisis only got longer.

“Governments tend to get stuck in planning that is measured in election cycles rather than according to the needs of the population,” he said.

“We will continue to wait to see such a plan, just as thousands of patients across WA wait for elective surgery, outpatient appointments or to be seen by a doctor in our ramped emergency departments.”

Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey said the $5m funding for 2025-2026 was crucial for planning work to upgrade the Midland ED.

“This is a complex project to be undertaken while the hospital remains operational and construction cannot occur without this planning happening first.”

Mr Carey was also asked what the total projected cost was to upgrade the ED and what Labor’s budget was in the next four years for the department’s expansion.

By the time Echo News went to press, the minister hadn’t provided a response.