The government came under fire from the British Medical Association last night for its refusal to permit UK nationals to seek medical treatment elsewhere in the EU.

Following a European Court ruling that UK patients are entitled to treatment in France or Germany where there is a surplus of beds, a spokesman for the British Medical Association said it is "bizarre that people can come from abroad and go to the top of the waiting list, but at the same time British patients are not allowed to be treated in European hospitals".

In response, a department of health spokesman said "the government is focused on providing high quality care in this country. There is no question of people being sent abroad for treatment".