Ms Aitchison put a question on notice in state parliament on Wednesday and plans to write to Health Minister Jillian Skinner.

The government announced plans for the new $400 million Metford-based hospital before 2011, but have not started work.

Ms Aitchison said it was “an appalling snub” for Maitland that work has not begun.

“We have entered the sixth year since the government’s announcement, yet still nothing has happened,” Ms Aitchison said.

“Our community can no longer be held to ransom by this government.”

The government has not set a date for when work will start, but said construction will “begin in this term of government.”

The government said the new hospital would be six times larger and provide more beds than the existing Maitland Hospital.

However, Ms Aitchison said she wanted to know exactly how many beds the hospital will hold.

“I’m hoping it will be the size initially promised,” which she said was between 630 and 750 beds.

“We have five new people arriving [to Maitland] everyday, how is it going to cope with the increasing demand?

“The government needs to announce what model will be built and when construction will commence.”

The business case for the new hospital was submitted on December 18, with funding to be considered under the normal budget cycle.

Ms Aitchison said she will be “watching the budget with great interest” when it is released in June.

Ms Aitchison said the new hospital would provide much-needed jobs in Maitland.

“We are suffering the highest rates of youth unemployment in the state,” she said.

“This is going to provide a massive ongoing benefit for jobs.”

She said the hospital would also provide better health outcomes, modern facilities and a boost to the visitor economy.