The embattled Perth Children's Hospital has faced all sorts of challenges, but one of the biggest is yet to come once its doors finally open to patients.

The Government is now faced with restoring faith and public confidence in the $1.2 billion hospital, after a number of potential health threats were discovered within its walls before it has treated any patients.

Asbestos in the roof, fire doors that do not comply with Australian standards, an ongoing water lead contaminated saga and, most recently, the potentially fatal bacteria legionella found in the water supply are just some of the headlines the hospital has grappled with.

The irony is palpable: a brand new hospital where the focus should be on healing, which is already renowned for potential health risks discovered within its largely empty corridors.

When ABC News last week revealed the legionella problem, the response on social media clearly articulated the public's frustration.

Facebook and Twitter were littered with commentary including: "it needs a bulldozer", "what a joke", "not sure if anyone will be game to use it when it eventually opens", "did someone put a curse on this yet-to-be opened hospital?", "blow it up and start again" "don't know whether to laugh or cry."

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The comments articulated what has become a widespread community eye-roll towards this hospital, after revelations of problem after problem.

An inherited PR disaster

It is a sentiment apparently shared by Health Minister Roger Cook, who inherited the hospital's cluster of problems from the former Barnett Government after winning the March election.

When Mr Cook was asked if he was surprised by the legionella discovery, his reply was blunt: "Well, nothing surprises me about this hospital anymore".

It is a situation that no doubt saddens the politicians and health bureaucrats involved, who started out with high hopes at its inception.

It no doubt also saddens the public who've spent $1.2 billion on it, the McGowan Government that now has the unenviable task of sorting out the problems and getting it open, and the staff stuck at the ageing Princess Margaret Hospital waiting to move in.

PCH has been a textbook public relations disaster and it will be very difficult for those tasked with promoting the hospital to overcome the fact they are starting with a massive disadvantage.

There will undoubtedly be some trepidation from parents taking their sick children to PCH, given their only knowledge of the hospital is from headlines and stories on the potential health threats within its walls.

Mr Cook, who worked in public relations before entering WA Parliament, this week acknowledged the challenge, but maintained the hospital would not open until it was safe to do so.

'A whole new set of problems'

The Minister admitted that once it opened, like any new facility, there would be "a whole new set of problems" as patients were settled in.

Roger Cook says the hospital will not open until it was safe to do so. ( ABC News: Eliza Laschon )

"What we will have to be able to do is assure the public that, when they take their kids to that hospital, we have their kids' safety absolutely utmost in our mind," he said.

"And as they take their kids there, and they appreciate what a great hospital it is and continue to receive great care, that will continue to improve the WA public's comfort and confidence in that hospital.

"We will get there, we just have to be patient. We have to be methodical and, most importantly of all, we have to be careful that we manage the risks."

Another serve of 'sandwich' for McGowan

Speaking at a post-budget business breakfast in September, Premier Mark McGowan referred to the perilous state of WA's finances as a proverbial "sandwich" he inherited on winning the election.

"We had inherited a sandwich of some magnitude," Mr McGowan said.

Arguably, the trouble-plagued children's hospital is another unpalatable sandwich of considerable magnitude on the plate of the Government.

Mr McGowan will be hoping that the second course is a little sweeter. But he's going to need a bit of luck, some clever public relations strategies and plenty of satisfied patients and parents if, once the doors finally open, all the public is left to criticise is the bland hospital jelly.