Palantir secured a contract with NHS England in 2023 for its Federated Data Platform, according to multiple reports. The platform aims to connect fragmented health systems across the NHS, including patient records, waiting lists, hospital supplies, and bed availability. The contract value is reported as £300 million or £330 million. Louis Mosley, Palantir UK executive vice-chair, stated at a press conference that the NHS experience involves disconnected, fragmented systems, and joining up that information is what Palantir is doing for the NHS.
The controversy stems from Palantir's background, which includes funding links to the CIA, contracts with the Israeli Defence Force, and ownership by Peter Thiel, a major donor to Donald Trump's presidential campaign, as reported by multiple sources.
Political opposition has emerged from multiple parties. Labour MP Emily Darlington said having a 'foreign tech company' involved with patient data in the NHS is 'a major security risk.' The Liberal Democrats have stated Palantir 'should be nowhere near our national security infrastructure.' Green Party leader Zack Polanski labelled Palantir 'a military surveillance company.' Conservative MP Wendy Morton has called for more scrutiny of Palantir's 'ability to protect data.'
I think those of us who use the NHS, the lived experience is one of disconnected, fragmented systems, explaining who you are to a different person on every ward, at the front desk. Joining up that information is what we are doing for the NHS.
Medical and professional groups have also voiced opposition. The British Medical Association has said it has 'long opposed the involvement of Palantir in the delivery of care and the use of patient data in our NHS.' Wes Streeting is under pressure from the Green Party leader and left-wing doctors' associations to cut ties with Palantir.
Internal NHS concerns have surfaced regarding Palantir's access and reputation. Palantir staff working on the Federated Data Platform rollout have been given NHS email accounts and access to internal systems like SharePoint and Microsoft Teams. NHS staff have expressed alarm over this access. Health officials have expressed fears that Palantir's reputation will affect delivery of the FDP contract.
Reported benefits and performance claims present conflicting figures. Louis Mosley stated Palantir's software is forecast to deliver £150 million in benefits by the end of the decade, representing a £5 return for every pound spent. A Palantir spokesperson claimed the software has helped deliver 110,000 additional operations, a 15.3% reduction in discharge delays, and a 6.8% increase in cancer diagnoses within 28 days of referral. A Whitehall source described that thanks to Palantir, there will be 100,000 additional operations and 250,000 accelerated discharges in the next 12 months and savings of £780 million over seven years.
We have no interest in patient data in the UK. It's not our business model. It's not the legal basis on which we operate, in the same way that Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word or email is used in the NHS and again that is NHS data, Microsoft doesn't have access to it, nor do we to NHS data.
A positive internal assessment from NHS leadership has been leaked. A memo from Ming Tang, chief data officer at NHS England, said Palantir was delivering 'outstanding results' with 'faster diagnosis, faster referrals, faster treatments,' according to major media.
The government has defended the contract with security assurances. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated that every hospital trust and integrated care board has their own instance of the FDP, with complete control over who has access. The same spokesperson added that the NHS Federated Data Platform is helping to join up patient care, increase productivity, speed up cancer diagnosis and ensure thousands of additional patients can be treated each month – with strict requirements in place about data security and confidentiality.
Contract uncertainty persists, with ministers having sought advice on triggering a break clause in Palantir's FDP contract, according to major media reports.
Having a review clause in a contract is good and normal practice. However, what some ideologically motivated campaigners are suggesting should happen would harm patient care and prevent some of the biggest challenges facing the NHS from being tackled. That would be a mistake.
Key unknowns about data access and security requirements remain unresolved. The exact nature and extent of data access Palantir staff have through NHS email accounts and internal systems is not fully detailed. What specific 'strict requirements' are in place for data security and confidentiality in the FDP, as mentioned by the Department of Health and Social Care, has not been publicly elaborated.
Political and ethical implications are also unclear. How Palantir's alleged links to CIA funding, Israeli Defence Force contracts, and Donald Trump affect data security or ethical compliance in NHS operations is not definitively known. The full extent of opposition within the NHS staff and patient groups to Palantir's involvement, beyond reported concerns, remains unquantified.
Contract stability and opposition extent are further unknowns. Whether ministers will actually trigger the break clause in Palantir's FDP contract is uncertain. The broader impact of opposition on contract delivery and public trust has not been fully assessed.