NHS England Grants Palantir Access to Patient Data Amid Controversy

• •NHS England allows Palantir staff broader access to identifiable patient data.
• •Greater Manchester NHS board refuses to join the Federated Data Platform due to security concerns.
• •Critics warn that the policy change could erode public trust in patient data handling.

NHS England has confirmed that Palantir staff can now access identifiable patient data through a new 'admin' role, following a policy change. This decision has raised concerns about public trust and data security, especially since Palantir's technology is central to the Federated Data Platform (FDP), a £330 million contract awarded in 2023. Critics argue that the change could undermine patient privacy and that Greater Manchester's NHS board has opted out of the FDP due to similar concerns. The decision to allow broader access to patient data comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the FDP's effectiveness and security standards, with reports indicating that many NHS trusts are not meeting data security requirements. The situation highlights a growing divide between NHS England and regional health authorities regarding data governance and the use of private tech firms in healthcare.