Specialists deemed at risk of COVID-19 will have access to Medicare funding for phone or video consults — regardless of whether they have been ordered into isolation.

Temporary items for specialist video and telephone consultations were introduced earlier this month.

The items, which must be bulk-billed, were meant to expire in September and intended to support “vulnerable” patients, as well as those in isolation.

Doctors could also claim the items if they themselves had been isolated as a result of the outbreak.