MPs Press for End of £330 million Palantir NHS Deal

A cross-party group of MPs on the Health and Social Care Select Committee and the Science and Technology Committee have written to Health Secretary James Murray and Health Innovation Minister Preet Kaur Gill urging the Department of Health and Social Care to prepare for the February 2027 break clause in the NHS’s £330 million Federated Data Platform (FDP) contract with U.S. tech firm Palantir. The letters call for an assessment of alternatives and a plan to replace the platform by March 2027 if the clause is exercised.

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Palantir, co-founded by Peter Thiel, has supplied the FDP since 2023 to unify and analyse large volumes of NHS health data. The contract has attracted scrutiny over alleged links to U.S., Israeli and UK military projects and its use in other government programmes, such as a £50 million Metropolitan Police contract blocked by London Mayor Sadiq Khan. NHS England’s website now notes it cannot attribute reductions in waiting lists or surgical volumes directly to the FDP because other variables have not been controlled.

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Palantir’s UK and Europe chief, Louis Mosley, dismissed critics as “choosing ideology over patient safety” and claimed the technology has helped cut surgery waiting lists and speed cancer diagnoses. A Palantir spokesperson said the software “is helping to deliver better patient care – including 110,000 additional operations to date, a 15 % reduction in discharge delays and a 6.8 % increase in patients finding out whether they need cancer treatment within 28 days… data – legally and contractually – only able to be processed strictly in accordance with NHS trusts’ instructions.” The Department of Health and Social Care affirmed the contract is under review ahead of the break clause and highlighted “thousands more patients … benefiting from the NHS federated data platform every month.”

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Health-care workers, unions and privacy advocates argue the deal threatens patient confidentiality. Up to 117 NHS data and technology staff have signed a letter warning that “data completeness will be compromised by the erosion of patient trust; data privacy protections are inadequate and data structures are at risk of misuse.” Unison’s head of health, Helga Pile, said the NHS “must retain ownership and control over patient data systems which are highly sensitive and critical infrastructure.” MPs contend that public mistrust could undermine broader NHS data-use initiatives.

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• “Data completeness will be compromised by the erosion of patient trust; data privacy protections are inadequate and data structures are at risk of misuse.” — NHS data and technology worker (letter)

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• “The FDP has not shown me any significant technological benefits whatsoever. A frankly mediocre software is being forced on NHS data systems at the expense of patient trust, professional integrity and the fundamental values of the NHS. How can we say we want to use software for saving lives when that same software is also used to kill and ruin lives?” — senior data professional (anonymous)

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• “Little by little, the government’s arguments for sticking with the FDP has unravelled. So in the interest of public confidence in the NHS and the security of their medical information, we believe it is time to crack on with preparations to find an alternative.” — Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat chair, Health Committee

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• “Palantir software is helping to deliver better patient care – including 110,000 additional operations to date, a 15% reduction in discharge delays and a 6.8% increase in patients finding out whether they need cancer treatment within 28 days … But that is what it is – software. How that software is used is controlled by the NHS trusts who use it, with data – legally and contractually – only able to be processed strictly in accordance with their instructions.” — Palantir spokesperson

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• “The government cannot allow the NHS to be captured by firms like Palantir which prioritise profits over ethics.” — Helga Pile, head of health, Unison

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