NDP Leader Andrea Horwath wants to ensure Ontarians are receiving good value for the $42-billion spent on health care each year.

Horwath is pressing Premier Dalton McGuinty to take further action in the wake of last week’s Auditor General’s report into the scandal at eHealth Ontario.

The report found rampant favouritism in the awarding of contracts, a compromised tendering system and consultants hiring other consultants.

“The waste we saw at eHealth is part of a much bigger problem. Ontarians deserve to know where their healthcare dollars are going and how they’re being spent,” said Horwath. “The McGuinty Government is telling people to accept cuts to local health services while millions fly out the door daily.”

Horwath is calling on McGuinty to immediately:

• Ask the Auditor General to conduct spot audits on the use of consultants by the Ministry of Health, the 14 LHINs, and Ontario's hospitals. Spot audits by the Auditor General would ensure Ontarians are receiving value for their health care dollars, help strengthen oversight across the Ministry and transfer agencies, and introduce best practices.

• Ask the Auditor General to examine compensation for senior health bureaucrats and to determine whether it is appropriate for compensation to be flowed through hospitals and health care agencies. The practice limits transparency and may in some cases pose a conflict of interest.

“Health care consumes $42-billion each year. We must ensure that each of those precious dollars is invested wisely to make life better for Ontario families. That’s why I’m asking the Premier to act,” said Horwath.