The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) has welcomed the publication of a major Parliamentary report which raises significant concerns about the growing role of Palantir in public services and the NHS.
The cross-party Science, Innovation and Technology Committee warns that the UK’s increasing reliance on Palantir has created an ‘unacceptable point of weakness’.
It highlights concerns around value for money, transparency, public trust, and the long-term strategic risks of entrusting critical public infrastructure to a single overseas technology provider.
NHS Federated Data Platform
The report, titled Rewiring the state: delivering digital government, recommends that the Government ‘should commit to exercising the 2027 break clause in the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) contract’.
It goes on to recommend the Government ‘either develops an in-house replacement or seek an alternative developed by UK-owned and UK-based providers that are more compatible with UK values, and do not pursue either technical or contractual dependencies’.
The report called for a fully-costed exit plan for the FDP by the end of this year.
Poor value for money
Dr David Nicholl, DAUK committee member, said: “This is an excellent report and highlights the warnings that DAUK has been making for more than five years, that Palantir’s FDP provides poor value for money from a company with ethical values that are a million miles away from those of the NHS.
“The Government should publish an exit plan, and look at alternative providers that can deliver better outcomes for patients at less cost, safely, securely and ethically.”
DAUK has consistently raised concerns about the award of the £330 million FDP contract to Palantir. These include the risk of NHS dependency on a single supplier, uncertainty about long-term value for money, questions around transparency in procurement, and the impact of Palantir’s wider activities on public trust in NHS data systems.
Ignored warnings
Dr Steve Taylor, DAUK GP co-lead, added: “There is a growing consensus that Palantir should not be anywhere near public services, and in particular patient data in the NHS.
“DAUK and other groups have been saying this for years, yet governments have continued to ignore the warnings.
“Ministers are public servants first, they need to heed the warnings and use the break clause in 2027. Influence is being bought against the best interests of the public.”
Read the Rewiring the state: delivering digital government report in full.
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