Government funding support has been extended to help those in perpetual self-isolation as a result of frequent trips to the UK for medical appointments.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle told the House of Keys that the Council of Ministers had considered the matter last week.

Some 14 NHS patients regularly travel across each month for medical treatment and 10 do so every six weeks and have to self-isolate, along with the whole household on their return.

It is not know how many travel for private purposes.

Currently, those who travel to UK for health appointments every two weeks are offered a seven-day test and modified self-isolation.

Mr Quayle said a ’handful’ of individuals had contacted the Department of Health and Social Care to say they will struggle financially to maintain separate self-isolation after each trip.

He said it had been agreed that the Department of Enterprise support scheme that contributes £250 towards accommodation costs for self-isolating returning residents will be extended where there is a case to do so.

’This will help those who find themselves in perpetual self-isolation due to their circumstances,’ he said.

The support will only be available for the duration of the scheme, which currently runs until the end of this month (December) but may be extended.