The Single English County Saying No to Palantir
wired ·
The UK government faces a decision on whether to terminate a £400 million contract between the NHS and Palantir for a federated data platform (FDP) that aims to organize health data and improve care. While most NHS trusts and integrated care boards use the FDP, Greater Manchester's care board has consistently refused, relying instead on its own homegrown Analytics and Data Science Platform, which it claims is more advanced and trustworthy. NHS officials in Greater Manchester argue that public trust is essential and that adopting Palantir would be a retrograde step. Palantir disputes these claims and says its platform is widely used and beneficial. Political pressure has grown due to concerns about reliance on a US vendor and Palantir's wider activities, with some MPs urging the government to activate a break clause in February. Supporters of the FDP warn there is no viable alternative and that ending the contract would harm patient care by reverting to older systems. The debate reflects a tension between technological advancement and public trust.
wired