The Opposition has formally filed a parliamentary motion calling for patients stuck on a state hospital waiting list to be given an option to receive treatment in a private hospital in Malta.

The motion calls for an amendment to the legal notice that implements the EU cross border directive, which states that patients can seek treatment abroad at the government's expense if medical intervention is not done within a reasonable timeframe.

Opposition health spokesman Claudio Grech said the additional option could save government money because it could negotiate reasonable prices with private hospitals while cutting down on waiting lists.

The motion was presented to Speaker Anglu Farrugia in the presence of PN deputy leader for parliamentary affairs Mario de Marco.