The UK executive of Palantir has publicly defended the company's operations following mounting demands from Members of Parliament for increased oversight of its data handling practices within National Health Service agreements.
Recent guidance issued to all NHS England trusts, mandating the adoption of Palantir's "core products" in hospitals starting this month, has sparked significant controversy. According to reports, this directive has triggered a backlash among various political figures and health professionals.
Labour MP Emily Darlington expressed grave concerns to media outlets, stating that involving a "foreign tech company" with patient data represents "a major security risk." The Liberal Democrats have echoed this sentiment, asserting that Palantir "should be nowhere near our national security infrastructure," while Green Party leader Zack Polanski characterized the firm as "a military surveillance company." Conservative MP Wendy Morton has similarly called for enhanced examination of the company's data protection capabilities.
Palantir secured a substantial £300 million contract with NHS England in late 2023 for its Foundry "federated data platform" (FDP), designed to integrate disparate healthcare databases that currently operate in isolation across GP practices, clinics, and hospitals. The software aims to streamline access to critical information such as waiting lists, hospital supplies, and availability of beds and operating theaters.
Appearing on a political discussion program, Palantir UK executive vice-chair Louis Mosley welcomed the scrutiny, expressing confidence that the company is "delivering for patients." He emphasized the common experience of fragmented NHS systems where patients repeatedly provide their information to different staff members across various departments.
"Joining up that information is what we are doing for the NHS," Mosley stated, dismissing data security fears by clarifying that "we have no interest in patient data in the UK. It's not our business model. It's not the legal basis on which we operate."
He drew parallels to other software used within the NHS, noting that just as Microsoft doesn't access NHS data through products like Excel or Word, Palantir similarly maintains appropriate boundaries.
Support for Palantir's involvement came from Labour MP Alex McIntyre, who serves on the Commons Health and Social Care select committee. He emphasized established safeguards: "We've been really clear, we have red lines here, the data must stay in the UK, it must be NHS owned. That is really clear, and we've been really clear that Palantir in any provider doesn't have access or cannot share patient data for their own use."
However, critics highlight Palantir's connections to intelligence agencies, military contracts, and political affiliations. Darlington raised additional concerns about "values," referencing Palantir leadership's past critical comments about the NHS and questioning whether the company shares the service's fundamental principles.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for decisive action, urging Health Secretary Wes Streeting to "kick Palantir out of our NHS" and advocating for British tech alternatives. Polanski reinforced this position, stating Palantir "should be nowhere near our NHS."
Morton pointed to inconsistencies in adoption, questioning: "There are a number of NHS trusts that use it, there are a number of NHS trusts that don't. If it is as good as we are told, then why aren't we using it more?" She emphasized that while initial contracts were awarded under the previous government, current scrutiny and implementation responsibility now falls to Labour.
In response to the criticism, Mosley maintained: "I want us to be judged on the merits of the programme, so actually I welcome the scrutiny. I think Palantir have very good answers to all of that scrutiny and I think we can defend our record."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson outlined the platform's benefits while addressing security concerns: "The NHS Federated Data Platform is helping to join up patient care, increase productivity, speed up cancer diagnosis and ensure thousands of additional patients can be treated each month – 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."