NHS Trusts Across England Reject Palantir Patient Data System, Records Show
Freedom of information records show at least 16 health trusts are refusing or abandoning Palantir’s data platform as ministers consider exiting the £330m deal.
At a glance
- FOI disclosures show at least 16 English NHS trusts and boards have declined to use Palantir's £330m data platform.
- Critics and several health bodies argued the system offers few improvements over existing local software solutions.
- Palantir and NHS England defended the program, stating 137 trusts have reported operational and scheduling benefits.
Multiple NHS trusts and health boards across England are refusing to implement or have stopped using Palantir’s £330m patient data platform, arguing that existing local tools offer equal or superior functionality, according to freedom of information disclosures reviewed by The Guardian.
The responses, obtained by the health campaign group Medact, reveal that at least 16 trusts and regional boards have decided against deploying the Federated Data Platform (FDP) following its introduction in March 2024. Organisations such as University Hospitals Birmingham, Greater Manchester’s care board, and University Hospitals of North Midlands reported that the platform delivered limited benefit over existing software, with several describing the system as duplicative or retrograde.
The findings arrive as the government considers whether to trigger a break clause in the seven-year contract with the US technology company. The agreement was originally intended to integrate patient data to enhance clinical coordination and efficiency. However, the rollout has drawn sustained public scrutiny and protests regarding Palantir's overseas military work, previous remarks by co-founder Peter Thiel, and patient privacy, with more than 44,000 people filing formal objections to having their data processed by the platform.
Two parliamentary select committees, including the Commons Science and Technology Committee, have advised ministers to cancel the contract. National Data Guardian Dr Nicola Byrne also urged officials to weigh institutional trust, pointing out widespread reluctance among regional organisations in favor of alternative software.
Palantir rejected the criticism, describing Medact's assessment as slanted and asserting that the FDP remains a successful initiative with a top government delivery rating. The firm pointed to reported figures showing 117,000 additional surgeries and a 14.3% decrease in discharge delays at participating sites, though NHS England acknowledged that cause and effect cannot be definitively established. NHS England added that 137 trusts have reported benefits from platform tools.
Source: The Guardian Business.
Questions and answers
- Why are some NHS trusts rejecting Palantir's system?
- Several trusts reported that the platform duplicates existing local tools, offers little extra functionality, and fails to provide notable improvements.
- What is the value of the NHS contract with Palantir?
- The contract for the Federated Data Platform is a seven-year agreement valued at £330m, which includes an optional government break clause.
- How has Palantir responded to the criticism?
- Palantir dismissed the claims as slanted, stating the platform holds a green government delivery rating, exceeds targets, and has aided trusts in cutting discharge delays.
