Hames blames contractor for hospital delay

The new Perth Children's Hospital is "miles behind schedule", according to West Australian health minister Kim Hames.

Dr Hames said the state government was at the mercy of the contracted builder John Holland, which missed its original completion date of November, and is now expected to finish the project in the first half of 2016.

"It's never a good look for government when things are delayed ... but let me tell you every other hospital in the last few years in Australia has had the same sort of experience," Dr Hames told 6PR Radio.

WA Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook said the hospital would be too small by the time it was completed. He said he was concerned the state government was repeating mistakes made with the Fiona Stanley Hospital.