Palantir Faces Scrutiny Over NHS Data Use Amid Security Concerns

Palantir, the US-headquartered analytics company, has defended its use of data within NHS contracts amid growing scrutiny from UK lawmakers. The company's £300m contract with NHS England for its Foundry "federated data platform" (FDP) has sparked concerns over data security and the involvement of a "foreign tech company" in the UK's national health service.

Labour MP Emily Darlington has expressed "significant concerns" about Palantir's NHS contract, citing both data protection and "values". She believes that having a company with ties to the CIA and the Israeli Defence Force involved in the NHS poses a "major security risk". The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have also called for Palantir to be barred from government contracts, with Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey stating that "Donald Trump's favourite tech giant shouldn't be allowed anywhere near Brits' private health data".

Palantir's Response

Palantir UK executive vice-chair Louis Mosley has welcomed the scrutiny, stating that the company is "delivering for patients" and has no interest in patient data. "It's not our business model," he said. "It's not the legal basis on which we operate, in the same way that Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word or email is used in the NHS and again that is NHS data, Microsoft doesn't have access to it, nor do we to NHS data." Mosley also emphasized that the company's software is designed to link up otherwise-incompatible databases, allowing for better access, integration, and analysis of patient data.

Labour MP Alex McIntyre, who sits on the Commons Health and Social Care select committee, has defended Palantir's involvement in NHS contracts, stating that the data must stay in the UK and be NHS-owned. However, critics point to Palantir's funding links to the CIA and its contracts with the Israeli Defence Force, leading to allegations around surveillance.

Contract Details

Palantir's FDP software is designed to fix the issue of unrelated IT systems being used in different locations within the NHS. The software will be used to link up databases for things like waiting lists, hospital supplies, and available beds and operating theatres. The contract is set to be renewed at the start of next year, with some MPs calling for more scrutiny of the company's ability to protect data.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson has stated that the NHS Federated Data Platform is helping to join up patient care, increase productivity, and speed up cancer diagnosis, with strict requirements in place about data security and confidentiality. Every hospital Trust and Integrated Care Board has their own instance of the IT platform, with complete control over who has access.