NHS England Gave Palantir Access to Identifiable Patient Data Under £330 Million AI Deal
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 11
NHS England Gave Palantir Access to Identifiable Patient Data Under £330 Million AI Deal
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 11
Recent NHS England changes let Palantir staff and other contractors access some identifiable patient data before pseudonymisation, according to a leaked briefing on the federated data platform.
The briefing said the move would give “unlimited access to non-NHSE staff” and acknowledged a “risk of loss of public confidence,” as engineers found individual permissions across hundreds of datasets too time-consuming.
£330 million is the value of Palantir’s contract to help build the platform, but MPs and patient groups called the expanded access “dangerous,” saying patients were not consulted and privacy safeguards appear weak.
Palantir said it is only a data processor, cannot remove NHS data, and can use information only under NHS instructions, while NHS England said external users need security clearance and director-level approval.
The dispute adds to wider resistance to Palantir’s growing UK public-sector role: polling last week found more than two-thirds of the public worry about its contracts and 40% distrust it with NHS patient data.
With Palantir's contract renewal looming, will reported NHS efficiency gains silence public outcry over patient data privacy?
If contractors can access identifiable patient data, how can the NHS guarantee its 'privacy by design' promise is not already broken?
Over 47,000 Patients Protest as Palantir Gains Unlimited Access to NHS Data in £330 Million Deal
Overview
In May 2026, it was revealed that external contractors, including Palantir, were given unlimited access to identifiable NHS patient data through the National Data Integration Tenant, a core part of the Federated Data Platform. Palantir, which secured a £330 million contract in 2023 to develop this platform, is known for its work with government defense agencies and AI-powered surveillance. This revelation sparked widespread public concern, as access extended beyond Palantir to a broad network of contractors. The situation raised serious questions about data privacy, accountability, and the ethical implications of involving such companies in the UK health system.