The government has invited high-profile NHS hospitals to set up profit-making branches abroad to raise UK funds and the service's international profile.
Anne Milton, health minister, in a statement today, said it was "good news" for UK NHS patients who would benefit from the overseas NHS work and the extra investment it would generate.
She added: "This is also good news for the economy which will benefit from the extra jobs and revenue created by our highly successful life sciences industries as they trade more across the globe."
Frank Levene, chief executive of PMI provider Passport2Health, specialising in overseas treatment cover, welcomed the much-needed new way of looking at generating funding.
He added: "But an expansion abroad does not come without its difficulties and it could provide a huge distraction for any NHS provider, at a time when resources are already under strain.
"Just setting up clinical governance and patient safety protocols is a significant investment in itself. But it is not undoable."
