The much-needed, new hospital wing was left out of the NSW Health submission for federal funding under the $10 billion Health and Hospital Fund.

A spokesman for NSW Health Minister John Della Bosca said the Commonwealth’s criteria required the state government to make submissions about projects that were advanced, or “shovel ready”.

Although there was a master plan for Port Macquarie, more details needed to be worked out before it could progress.

“The submissions to the Commonwealth require extensive planning work, which generally spans some years,” the spokesman said.

The hospital’s master plan was released in August 2006, and 12 months later the North Coast Area Health Service identified Port Macquarie Base Hospital as a priority project.

In May last year, the federal government announced a $10 billion hospital rescue fund.

Two months later, the North Coast Area Health Service confirmed the hospital as the number-one capital works priority on the north coast.

Port Macquarie MP Peter Besseling questioned why the project was not ready to go, given the timeline.

He said: “It has been nearly three years since the master plan, and on top of correspondence sent and received, why is it not shovel ready?”

Mr Besseling said the Health and Hospital Fund was made available by the federal government and NSW Health had dropped the ball.

The spokesman for the health minister said there was a master plan for Port Macquarie, but some of the more detailed work was yet to be completed.

“Other competing priorities were further advanced and much more likely to meet the Commonwealth’s requirements,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott is progressing with an application in line with the federal guidelines and he encourages people to put their views forward to lobby for the extension.