The Single English County Saying No to Palantir

In 2023, the United Kingdom commissioned Palantir to create a "federated data platform" (FDP) designed to consolidate various health data produced statewide. Palantir and the National Health Service (NHS) claim the platform has already reduced wait times and hospital stays while optimizing the use of operating theatres. However, as Palantir technology is implemented in conflict zones and amid the US administration's immigration policies, the NHS's deal with Palantir has emerged as a contentious issue in the UK, sparking protests, petitions, parliamentary inquiries, and a reported rebellion among NHS workers.

In response, other European nations are assessing their ties with Palantir to reduce their reliance on US-made technology.

The Greater Manchester health care board, a part of England, has consistently declined to adopt Palantir's FDP, opting instead to maintain a home-grown platform developed over nearly a decade. The board contends that the NHS does not require Palantir, asserting that their platform is more effective and enjoys greater public trust.

Matt Hennessey, the chief data and analytics officer at NHS Greater Manchester, asserts that "[e]ven a technically robust platform will struggle to realize value if clinicians, data controllers, patients, or the public do not trust it." Hennessey argues that if the FDP were fully adopted, it would be a step backward.

This assertion, disputed by Palantir and other FDP advocates, has ignited a national conversation on whether the government should terminate the NHS contract early in February 2024 instead of allowing it to continue until 2031. For years, NHS workers have relied on a mix of digital systems, spreadsheets, paper records, and whiteboards to manage patient information.

When patients change care providers, their treatment records can become fragmented, sometimes leading to adverse outcomes. The FDP aims to address these challenges by providing a national pool of health data and enabling individual regions to create tailored analyses and tools.

Palantir's FDP comprises a national health data repository and local databases for each region to conduct analyses and develop region-specific tools, such as managing waiting lists or planning discharges. The platform's shared underlying technology enables tools developed in one area to be easily adopted elsewhere. Tom Bartlett, an independent IT consultant who oversaw the national FDP rollout, explains that "you can lift and shift.

That's the real power of the FDP." The platform also provides an infrastructure for artificial intelligence to operate across the NHS.

Two categories of organizations within the NHS can access the FDP: trusts that manage hospitals and care, and integrated care boards (ICBs) responsible for planning and financing health services at a regional level. Both utilize data to enhance patient care. Out of roughly 200 trusts, 139 are currently using Palantir's technology, while all 36 ICBs are actively employing the system.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care informs WIRED that "thousands more patients are reaping the benefits of the FDP each month."

Despite these claims, trusts in different regions of England have resisted the FDP, including Greater Manchester, home to the NHS's birthplace. Sources claim that the board uses the platform only partially. Andy Haywood, the chief digital and data officer at Health Innovation Manchester, states that "they’re not fully embracing it," although Palantir maintains that Greater Manchester trusts are extensively utilizing the FDP.

Greater Manchester ICB, covering around 3 million residents, has steadfastly adhered to its homegrown Analytics and Data Science Platform (ADSP). At a May 2025 meeting, the board concluded that its "local capability surpasses anything the FDP currently offers," and some functionalities are "2-3 years" ahead. Hennessey emphasizes that the ADSP has primary care data unavailable on the FDP, and its in-house development allows for more straightforward reconfiguration.

Additionally, the ADSP benefits from public trust, as individuals are more likely to share sensitive health data when the platform has been locally developed. Palantir argues that there is insufficient evidence to support the ADSP's direct contribution to improved patient care or cost savings, and asserts that its platform enjoys widespread trust.

Stephen Childs, head of healthcare partnerships at Palantir UK, tells WIRED that "thousands of doctors, nurses, and other NHS staff use the [FDP], with many publicly endorsing its benefits." However, the belief that Greater Manchester has developed a superior system in-house has fueled ongoing debate about whether the UK government should terminate Palantir's contract next February. In June, a bipartisan group of UK politicians released a report reflecting this controversy.