Cloncurry Hospital is one of four pilots of the Rural and Remote Maternity Services Planning Framework which could see the potential of maternity services reinstated to the region.

North West Hospital and Health Service CEO Lisa Davies Jones said the Framework was a feasibility study to see whether Cloncurry services could be enhanced.

"We are looking at what the service could potentially look like," Ms Davies Jones said.

"We will write up a report and make some recommendations to look at enhancing the service.

"In March we will bring all the maternity services across Queensland together and share the learnings from these Frameworks. We would then look at funding implications, workforce and then go to business case."

Ms Davies Jones said Health Minister Steven Miles wanted maternity services in place in all health services within a two year time frame.

"This means Cloncurry could host a low-risk birthing service in two years," she said.

"For higher-risk pregnancies you would need to have the services to perform Caesarean section, which is not viable in Cloncurry due to needing three doctors on call at the same time. For potential higher-risk pregnancies mums would be brought to Mount Isa."

Ms Davies Jones said low-risk pregnancies meant a midwife could deliver the baby.

"Therefore we would focus on enhancing more midwives in Cloncurry," she said.

"The infrastructure is already there. We have a great hospital and wonderful doctors and nurses in town already.

"There would need to be work done on the facility as we would also look to provide birthing suits, rooms, en-suits and privacy for mums."

Rural Doctors Association of Queensland has welcomed the new pilot to take place at Cloncurry, Weipa, Theodore and a location yet to be finalised.

RDAQ president Dr Clare Walker welcomed the announcement as a win for the organisation and its members who have long advocated a collaborative care model and local birthing services.

"Minister Miles has responded positively to recommendations from the Rural Maternity Taskforce and will implement a planning tool developed by the Taskforce including input from our representatives," Dr Walker said.

"This will be of great benefit to our patients as we believe the safest way to provide birthing services to remote and rural communities is as close to home as possible.

"Our recommendation has always been a collaborative care model delivered by trained medical practitioners and midwives, with a woman-centred focus."

Dr Walker said the future of maternity services across Queensland was dependent on an effective long-term vision that encompassed quality and safety; access; workforce; models of care; and infrastructure.

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