The Queensland Government has announced plans to boost health services and facilities to regional and rural country towns through the creation of a new Rural Telehealth Service.

The Service – with at-call access to expertise including the best clinicians in the state - will serve small, remote communities where current difficulties in recruiting staff caused a downward spiral in health access and blowouts in health costs.

Under the new service, local residents who call participating facilities – up to 24 hours a day - will access emergency staff and other clinicians at the best hospitals in the state via telehealth.

State Health Minister, Lawrence Springborg, announced six remote trial sites to be linked to major Queensland hospitals will pioneer the new system.

Mr Springborg said the Rural Telehealth Service would have a dramatic positive impact on the communities that volunteer to participate.

“Confidence in the quality of local treatment will be restored,” he said.

“Community confidence will follow and the downward spiral caused by concerns about local health services will be reversed.”