The North Belfast MLA has said: “In today’s challenging budgetary context, it is enormously concerning that such a staggering amount of money is being spent within our health system every year without being subject to procurement processes.

“The Health Minister never misses an opportunity to point the finger of blame at other parties when it comes to his budget shortfall, yet we find out today that more than half a billion pounds is being spent on care home services every year without going through a value for money check.

“I hear regularly from constituents about failings and low quality care in some of our care homes, so there are serious questions for the Minister to answer about where and how this money is being spent and the outcomes patients are receiving in return.

“The Department of Health is responsible for more than half of our devolved budget and the onus is on the Minister to ensure that this vast amount of public money is used efficiently and provides value. Can we have any confidence that that is happening in this case whenever Health Trusts themselves acknowledge that their contracting arrangements for care homes are so badly outdated and in need of significant review?

“I will use every power available to me through the Assembly to hold the Minister to account over this and ensure a robust procurement process for care home spending is put in place as a priority.”