Immigration minister and Ashford MP Damian Green has revealed plans to prevent money being lost by the NHS in Kent through "health tourism".

His bid to block foreigners from coming back to Britain if they have failed to pay for treatment comes after reports overseas patients have clocked up a £30million bill in the county over five years.

Some Kent hospital trusts have even hired debt collectors in order to claw back money they are owed.

Mr Green now wants hospitals to call the UK Border Agency when an overseas patient has a debt of more than £1,000 - so they will be denied access to the UK until this is paid off.

He said: "There's a temptation for people to come here, use the NHS for treatment and then go back to their own country without paying for it.

"We want to stop that because this is a national health service, not an international health service.

"This system will catch people who are deliberately setting out to abuse our system of health care which is free at the point of use."

He added: "Good luck to the hospitals trying to collect their debts, but what we can do as a government is try and prevent this for the future."

The amount owed to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust for 2010/11 by overseas patients is £40,833.

A spokesman said: "The trust vigorously pursues payments from overseas patients not qualifying for NHS treatment and will continue to do so whenever and wherever possible."

In the five years to 2011, Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust is owed £104,000 by overseas patients.