The UK government is facing increasing scrutiny regarding its £330 million investment in a data-sharing system supported by Palantir. A campaign group has urged the health minister to clarify the data used to justify this controversial decision.
Regulatory Review Initiated
The UK’s statistics regulator is currently assessing how the government utilizes data to support its claims about the Federated Data Platform (FDP). This follows an investigation into assertions made by NHS England that, as of June, 139 trusts were using the FDP, with 137 reporting benefits. A tool based on the FDP reportedly led to 111,589 additional patients undergoing procedures in operating theatres.
Contradictory Findings Emerge
However, a Freedom of Information request from the campaign group Foxglove revealed that nearly a third of NHS trusts using Palantir’s platform had actually performed fewer procedures than before its implementation. Notably, the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust accounted for 84 percent of the reported decrease in outpatient waiting lists, while only 16 trusts were utilizing the tool.
Claims of Unsubstantiated Benefits
Foxglove highlighted that NHS England had previously stated it was inappropriate to draw conclusions about cause and effect due to uncontrolled variables in its published FDP data. Despite this, health minister Preet Kaur Gill claimed in Parliament that over 100,000 additional patients had been supported for procedures since March 2024, without acknowledging the lack of substantiation for these claims.
Government’s Position on Palantir
The UK government maintains that the FDP is essential for enhancing NHS productivity and addressing the backlog of elective care caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship with Palantir began with a £1 deal in 2020, leading to £60 million in contracts awarded without competition during the pandemic. In April, the government indicated it was considering a break clause in the current contract, which is set to end in February next year.
As the situation evolves, the Office for Statistics Regulation has stated it will review NHS England’s claims regarding the FDP’s performance. An NHS England spokesperson confirmed they would respond to the regulator’s correspondence.
This article was produced by NeonPulse.today using human and AI-assisted editorial processes, based on publicly available information. Content may be edited for clarity and style.
