UK Health Innovation Minister James Frith warned that public mistrust of US tech firm Palantir could harm NHS research, as 60,000 patients opted out of data sharing between mid-May and mid-July 2026. While Palantir claims its platform cut waiting lists, NHS England noted it cannot prove cause and effect. Amid calls to cancel Palantir's £330 million contract, ministers clarified that adoption of the platform is not mandatory for local health trusts.
Palantir NHS contract controversy
- ▪UK Health Innovation Minister James Frith expressed concern in a letter to Commons health committee chair Layla Moran about public mistrust of Palantir
- ▪Doctors and patient groups are calling on the UK government to exercise a break clause in Palantir's seven-year National Health Service contract
- ▪The UK government is deciding whether to cancel Palantir's £330 million contract to operate the National Health Service's federated data platform
Patient data opt-out surge
- ▪UK Health Innovation Minister James Frith stated that the rise in National Health Service data opt-outs occurred in line with media interest in Palantir's position
- ▪Opting out of the National Health Service national data sharing mechanism prevents patient records from being used for research and planning but does not stop direct care
- ▪Between mid-May and mid-July 2026, approximately 60,000 patients withdrew their private medical data from National Health Service research and planning under the national data opt-out
Federated data platform performance
- ▪National Health Service England reported performance statistics similar to Palantir's but stated it could not draw conclusions about cause and effect
- ▪Palantir stated that National Health Service trusts using its technology recorded 110,000 additional operations and a 15% reduction in discharge delays for long-stay patients
- ▪The UK government's statistics watchdog is investigating the performance data reported for the National Health Service federated data platform
Government policy on platform adoption
- ▪UK Health Innovation Minister James Frith stated that there is no requirement for National Health Service trusts to use the federated data platform
- ▪A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated that the National Health Service federated data platform has never been mandatory for local organisations
Palantir public values disputes
- ▪London Mayor Sadiq Khan blocked the Metropolitan Police from awarding Palantir a £50 million contract, leading to a lawsuit by Palantir
- ▪Critics of Palantir's National Health Service contract cite the company's work with the Israeli military and Donald Trump's ICE immigration agency
Debatable claims
- ▪Public bodies should refuse to contract with Palantir due to its ethical record
- ▪The UK government should cancel Palantir's NHS data contract
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