Pressure is mounting on the UK government to reconsider its relationship with Palantir, the US-based technology giant, as concern over data security and corporate influence intensify.
Despite the £330m contract awarded in 2023 to build a “federated data platform” for the NHS, critics – including MPs and the British Medical Association (BMA) – are questioning the firm’s central role in public health infrastructure.
Recent revelations have further damage confidence with reports suggesting that data used to justify the software’s effectiveness may be “flawed.”
Commenting on these findings, Liberal Democrat MP Martin Wrigley stated, “I am concerned if the initial findings from pilots at Chelsea and Westminster are fundamentally flawed. It speaks to overblown claims of effectiveness.”
The controversy is set to escalate as the government moves forward with a new NHS Modernization Bill, which includes plans for a “single patient record.”
This system will reportedly link directly to the Palantir-run platform fueling fears that sensitive medical information could be exposed.
Addressing these ties, critics have warned of the risks to “patient trust, data security and Palantir’s background with military and surveillance contracts.”
While the government insists the platform is delivering “huge benefits,” opponents continue to demand a diminished role for the company in managing national health data.
