It comes following the publication of an NI Audit Office report stating there was no evidence that the Department of Health’s Effective Use of Resources (EUR) policy is being complied with in terms of the carrying out of 29 restricted procedures.
Ms McAllister has said: “At a time when our public finances are under such incredible strain, every penny counts.
“In order to deliver the best quality services for patients, ensuring value for money and that funds are being allocated properly has to be an absolute priority for the Health Minister, his department, and the Trusts more widely.
“The fact that over £20 million is being spent annually without any evidence that it is compliant with policies that are now almost two decades old demonstrates the failure of successive ministers to guarantee adequate Strategic Planning and Performance (SPPG) oversight of EUR policies.
“What we now need to see is urgent action from the Health Minister, and the introduction of a proportionate monitoring framework to ensure compliance by all Trusts.
“This is a classic case of an ineffective system, that’s crying out for reform, leading to waste, and it shouldn’t have taken an Audit Office report to recognise that.”