The Opposition will tomorrow present a private motion in Parliament to include local private hospitals as a possible avenue for patients who are not cared for in time in the state institutions.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this morning that in terms of the EU cross border directive, patients have a right to seek overseas, state-paid medical treatment if they do not get such treatment in Maltese state hospitals.

The Opposition motion will amend a legal notice issued last year so that such patients may also seek state-paid treatment in local private hospitals instead of going abroad.

Dr Busuttil said this would be a win-win situation. It would be good for patients, good for the government, which would probably end up paying less, and good for the hospitals.

Dr Busuttil made his statement when he met representatives of the private hospitals.

He was accompanied by Claudio Grech, the shadow minister of health. 

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