Campaigners press Labour conference to drop Palantir's NHS contract

Campaigners against Palantir's role in the UK health service are taking their case to the Labour Party conference this week, with protests planned in Liverpool and London as ministers weigh whether to extend an NHS contract with the US company.

The health justice charity MedAct and the medical campaign group Just Treatment are coordinating the protest at the ruling party's annual conference in Liverpool. Both want ministers to drop the Palantir-led Federated Data Platform (FDP) contract, which could be worth up to 330 million pounds over seven years.

What the contract covers

Palantir won the lead role on the FDP in November 2023, after a procurement NHS England maintains was open and fair. The award followed 60 million pounds of COVID-era NHS contracts handed out without competition. NHS England and Palantir say the platform links data held in separate systems, helping hospitals use beds efficiently.

A committee says not to extend

In June, the cross-party Science, Innovation and Technology Committee said Palantir should not play such a significant role in the UK public sector. It urged ministers not to extend the contract in 2027, and to build an in-house replacement or use a UK provider.

"Vendor lock-in isn't inevitable, and the current position leaves us seriously exposed," said committee chair Dame Chi Onwurah.

Deadline and pressure

The groups say September 30 is the contractual deadline for Palantir to give NHS England an exit plan. The initial term ends early next year, after which it can be extended by two years and then two further one-year periods.

Opponents include the British Medical Association (BMA), the union UNISON and the United Tech and Allied Workers Union. The BMA has asked members to avoid using the platform outside direct care, citing risks to patient trust and data security.

The Chief Data and Analytics Officers Network, which represents senior NHS data staff, has urged the government to "consider the break clause."

"Patients and NHS staff are united in their opposition to this contract. Over 85,000 patients have made formal complaints to their hospitals. The government has an urgent opportunity to choose patients and staff over big tech, it must take it," said Dr Rhiannon Mihranian Osborne, a No Palantir in the NHS campaigner at MedAct.

Just Treatment spokesperson Hope Worsdale said patients and health workers across England want Palantir out of the NHS. She said a company with a track record in surveillance and military technology should not be anywhere near personal health data.

Palantir says its software helps UK public bodies carry out more NHS operations, keep Royal Navy ships at sea for longer and tackle domestic violence. It maintains that data processed through the FDP belongs to the NHS, and that disclosing it would breach its contract. Earlier this month the company hired former Labour deputy Tom Watson to help guide its work with the UK government.