44,000 Challenge Palantir's £330 Million NHS Data Deal as Break Clause Nears in 2027
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 30
44,000 Challenge Palantir's £330 Million NHS Data Deal as Break Clause Nears in 2027
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 30
Summary
More than 44,000 people have filed formal legal objections to NHS England’s Palantir-run Federated Data Platform, seeking to stop their health data being shared with, stored in or used by the system.
Article 21 GDPR objections mean the NHS must halt that processing unless it can show a compelling reason to continue, and objectors also want data use paused while their requests are assessed.
The backlash extends beyond privacy: campaigners cite Palantir’s work with Israel’s military and US immigration enforcement, while Amnesty staged a protest outside its London headquarters on Wednesday.
The dispute lands as pressure builds on Labour over the seven-year £330 million contract, with two Commons committees urging use of a break clause that falls due in February 2027.
Palantir and NHS England say NHS bodies retain control of data, it stays in the UK, and the platform is improving care, with the company claiming 117,000 extra operations and shorter discharge delays.
Will 44,000 GDPR objections force NHS England to justify Palantir’s role patient by patient—or expose a bigger trust crisis in health data?
Are Palantir’s claimed NHS benefits real, or is the backlash exposing weak evidence, vendor lock-in, and a deeper fight over who controls patient data?
If Greater Manchester built its own trusted alternative, why is NHS England locked into a £330m Palantir platform until at least 2027?