Drop Palantir’s Federated Data Platform and Look for Alternative, MPs Tell Health Minister

MPs have urged the government to cut ties with Palantir and the Federated Data Platform (FDP), and to begin looking for an alternative.

A letter from the Health and Social Care Committee to Health Innovation Minister, Preet Kaur Gill, cites public concern about data security, doubts about the FDP’s efficacy, and the availability of alternative solutions.

After a recent deep-dive evidence session, the cross-party Committee recommends dropping the product when a break clause in the contract comes up in February 2027.

The letter says “serious mistrust” amongst the general public towards Palantir has the potential to deter patients from sharing their medical data with the NHS. This could detract from the health service being able to realise the benefits of the shift to digital more broadly.

The NHS’s website had published claims that there was proof of performance improvements since the FDP was introduced, such as waiting lists being cut and an uptick in procedures carried out. But NHS England has since clarified that it cannot say conclusively that the FDP was the cause of those changes, as other variables had not been controlled for. “We cannot therefore draw conclusions about cause and effect as other variables have not been controlled for,” it now says.

The Government accepts that some trusts have capabilities that exceeds what the FDP offers, indicating that alternative products could be rolled out across the NHS.

Further requests include asking what advice the Department of Health and Social Care has had about the feasibility of getting a new contractor in place by March 2027, and for it to provide the Committee with information about the assessment it will conduct before making its decision on whether to stick with Palantir and the FDP.

Health and Social Care Committee Chair Layla Moran MP said: “Little by little, the government’s arguments for sticking with the FDP has unravelled. So in the interest of public confidence in the NHS and the security of their medical information, we believe it is time to crack on with preparations to find an alternative in time for spring 2027. The FDP may have had some advantages, but there are also downsides and it is evidently not the only show in town.”