North West Slopes Division of General Practice director Dr Roland Loeve said the continued uncertainty could impact on attracting a new workforce to the region.

“If we can’t provide certainty of decent facilities, what incentive do they have to come to Tamworth,” he said.

“We also want to know students at the rural medical school at UNE have state-of-the art facilities to train in.”

Revelations the Tamworth hospital redevelopment project was not submitted for Commonwealth funding came to light late last week from documents obtained under Freedom of Information.

It comes despite a claim from NSW Health in November that all capital health projects, including Tamworth, were subject to negotiation with the Commonwealth.

On Monday a spokesman for Health Minister John Della Bosca said the project wasn’t eligible for the Commonwealth program.

“(Tamworth) unfortunately didn’t fit the Commonwealth program’s requirements because planning was not far enough advanced,” the spokesman said.

However, federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has maintained since the announcement of the Commonwealth infrastructure fund that it would not replace state expenditure and would not fund projects that had already been formally announced.

The Tamworth hospital redevelopment was announced by former premier Morris Iemma in March 2007.