The West Australian premier has taken aim at the Australian Medical Association, accusing it of running a campaign against the trouble-plagued Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Some medical staff have quit in frustration over continuing problems with private contractor Serco, and the opposition says these go beyond teething issues and are putting patients in danger.
After the AMA's Dr Ian Jenkins criticised the $2 billion hospital at an inquiry on Wednesday, Premier Colin Barnett suggested the association was running a campaign against it.
Mr Barnett said he did not want to "pick a fight" with the AMA, which had a role to play, but it seemed to be "out there every day, trying to find something else to criticise in our health system".
"They're a lobby group and I suspect that the AMA finds today that it has less influence over public health policy than it used to," he told ABC radio on Thursday.
While he acknowledged there were issues at the hospital, he insisted WA's health facilities were the world's best.
"It's a big, complex hospital," Mr Barnett told reporters.
"I believe the vast majority of patients and families who visit Fiona Stanley Hospital are delighted."
Separately, AMA president Michael Gannon rejected a suggestion by Health Minister Kim Hames that he called to apologise for Dr Jenkins' comments at the inquiry.
Dr Jenkins had taken a swipe at Dr Hames, saying he should not have been on holiday recently while the hospital was dealing with a flooding crisis.
Opposition Leader Mark McGowan said the health minister had misled the parliament by saying Dr Gannon had apologised.
"You've said you're going to resign from parliament at the next term ... why don't you just do everyone a favour and resign now?" Mr McGowan said.
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