NHS England’s controversial £330m data deal with Palantir draws mixed reactions

NHS England’s recent decision to award the £330 million Federated Data Platform (FDP) contract to US data analytics firm Palantir, in collaboration with Accenture, PwC, NECS, and Carnall Farrar, has elicited a spectrum of reactions. This announcement marks a significant step in NHS’s digital transformation efforts, with the FDP designed to connect and streamline access to healthcare data across the NHS.

Matthew Taylor, CEO of the NHS Confederation, acknowledged the FDP’s potential in enhancing care delivery by freeing up clinical time and fostering efficient, safer patient care. However, he emphasised the need for substantial efforts to garner public support for the initiative.

Contrasting opinions emerged from within the NHS. Paul Jones, Chair of the Digital Health Networks CIO Advisory Panel, expressed disappointment at NHS England’s decision to proceed despite reservations from trust digital teams and the financial constraints on other NHS digital budgets.

Nick Wilson, CEO at System C, recognised the wealth of experience within the NHS and technology companies in digital transformation but voiced disappointment over the contract not being awarded to a British consortium. He also highlighted concerns about the exclusion of GP data from the FDP, stressing the complexities of interoperability in health and social care and urging Palantir and Accenture to learn from past challenges.

The decision faced criticism from those who had campaigned against Palantir’s involvement. The Good Law Project, a not-for-profit campaign organisation, is preparing legal challenges to ensure proper handling of sensitive NHS data, focusing on maintaining privacy.

Cori Crider, Director of Foxglove, a legal advocacy organisation, raised questions about the FDP’s effectiveness, citing unsuccessful hospital trials of Palantir’s technology. Dr David Nicholl, spokesperson for Doctors’ Association UK, echoed these concerns, questioning the scrutiny around the deal and the preliminary results of NHS trials with Palantir’s technology.

David Davis, MP for Haltemprice and Howden, expressed reservations about Palantir’s suitability for handling sensitive data, citing their background in espionage and concerns about data protection.

In response to these varied perspectives, NHS England has garnered support from several organisations, including the NHS Confederation, National Voices, and the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges. National Voices CEO Jacob Lant and Dr Jeanette Dickson, Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, acknowledged the FDP’s potential in driving digital innovation and enhancing data connectivity in the NHS.

To address public concerns, NHS England is developing an engagement portal for the public to learn more about the FDP and submit queries. Additionally, Dr Nicola Byrne, National Data Guardian, and Dr Nicola Perrin of the Association of Medical Research Charities have joined the independent Check and Challenge Group for the FDP, overseen by NHS England.

Furthermore, NHS England has assured that data sharing under the FDP will not commence until new ‘Privacy Enhancing Technologies’ (PET) are developed and implemented, expected by April 2024. Details on these technologies, being developed by a separate supplier, are anticipated to be released later in the year.