Palantir patient data tech rejected by many NHS trusts in England

Many NHS trusts in England reject Palantir's patient data technology, citing better or equal alternatives.

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According to freedom of information responses, NHS organisations across England are rejecting Palantir's patient data technology, citing that it is no better than systems already in use. The responses come as the government faces a decision about whether to exercise a break clause in the seven-year NHS-Palantir deal.

The deal, which was intended to better integrate the health system's data to improve clinical accuracy and efficiency, has been met with protests over Palantir's involvement in the NHS. The company has been criticized for its other contracts with the Israeli military and Donald Trump's homeland security forces.

More than two dozen FOI responses reviewed by The Guardian revealed that 16 trusts and health boards declared they do not use Palantir's federated data platform (FDP). The University hospitals of North Midlands NHS trust stated that it will not use the FDP primarily because it does not provide functionality over and above what they already have.

Dorset HealthCare university trust said it will not be adopting or going live with the FDP, while Humber Teaching NHS foundation trust stated that it has no plans to use it. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS foundation trust said it has used the system but it has not offered significant improvements on local systems.

The FOIs were gathered by Medact, a health campaign that opposes Palantir's role in the NHS, and posted to a public transparency website, WhatDoTheyKnow. Palantir has previously challenged claims that other software could be just as effective, with its senior vice-president, Tom Watson, saying that if there are companies that can do it, they would have taken part in free and open competition to run the FDP.

However, two parliamentary select committees have urged the government to end Palantir's contract, including the Commons' science and technology committee. Martin Wrigley, a Liberal Democrat member of the committee, said the NHS boards' responses justify what he has been saying for the last year, which is that Palantir's system is just not that good.