A pregnant mother, already in labour, had to make her own way to Orange Hospital last month to deliver because there were no doctors available when she presented to Bathurst Hospital.

Since the incident, the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association's general secretary Brett Holmes has said the union is extremely concerned about ongoing short-staffing within Bathurst's maternity wing.

Bathurst woman Marjorie Wiggins has called for immediate action, saying it was appalling that expectant mothers should have to go to Orange to deliver a high risk pregnancy.

She said the current closure of the Mitchell Highway for roadwork between 7pm and 6am only exacerbated the problem.

"Are we waiting for a tragedy to happen, or do we demand and take action now?" she asked.

"We must do something now to change these appalling conditions."

Bathurst Regional councillor Warren Aubin, who is part of the Bathurst Health Services Action Group, agreed.

Cr Aubin said he is still of the opinion that Bathurst deserves the same services in obstetrics as Orange.

"Look, if you're a female living here and having a baby, you don't want to think you might have to go to Orange," he said.

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"It's bizarre.

"I'm the first to agree we don't need mirror-to-mirror services; Orange has some facilities that we will never have. But this is a service a growing community needs and has to have. To say Bathurst can't deal with a high risk labour, that's just a cop-out."

Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor, who would not comment on operational matters within the hospital, said workforce challenges were being felt across the state. "The maternity unit at Bathurst Health Service is fully operational and any disruptions due to the availability of clinical staff are temporary," she said.

"Workforce challenges are being felt across the state by current events including the COVID-19 pandemic, furloughing of staff and ongoing recruitment challenges.

"The Western NSW Local Health District is actively recruiting to fill any clinical vacancies in the Bathurst maternity unit.

"While most expectant mothers give birth safely at Bathurst Health Service, transfers to another facility can be required in rare instances if a birth has a high level of risk or complication associated," she said, adding this only affects "a very small number of expectant mothers".

Likewise, a spokesperson for Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) said "any disruptions due to the availability of clinical staff are temporary".

"Most expectant mothers give birth safely at Bathurst Health Service," the spokesperson said.

For those who can't, the spokesperson said WNSWLHD's Patient Transport Service (PTS) was available to and from Bathurst Health Service for eligible patients who do not need a time-critical emergency ambulance.

"People must be assessed by a medical practitioner or registered nurse as being medically unsuitable for private, public or community transport before being eligible for PTS," the spokesperson said.

"In the very rare instance it is clinically required to transfer an expectant mother to a neighbouring or appropriate facility in an emergency situation, transport via ambulance is available from Bathurst Health Service.

"WNSWLHD understands this is not what mothers and their families would choose, and sincerely apologises for instances where transfer is required."

The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association's Mr Holmes continued to express concern about the situation.

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