NHS England removes list of hospitals using Palantir software
The list claimed 137 trusts were benefiting from the system, but 29 reported they were not using the technology.
By Vincent Parker ·
NHS England has taken down a webpage listing 137 hospital trusts that it claimed were benefiting from Palantir's artificial intelligence system.
The website previously stated that these bodies were live with and realizing benefits from the AI-powered federated data platform. The system was designed to improve patient outcomes, increase operating theatre efficiency, and speed up bed discharges. Following the deletion, the organization now displays a less detailed page stating that early users are seeing reduced admin and faster patient pathways.
The removal of the list followed a review by the Medact campaign group. Medact sent freedom of information requests to every hospital and integrated care board in England to research the actual use of Palantir's technology. The research found that 29 trusts reported the system was either not live or they were not using any of its applications.
This development occurs while ministers consider whether to extend Palantir's 330 million pound contract to 2029. The Office for Statistics Regulation is currently examining NHS claims about the extent of the system's use. Critics argue the previous claims made the technology appear more embedded in the health service than it actually was. The statistics watchdog had previously warned NHS England that it lacked evidence to support a claim that the technology delivered more than 100,000 extra operations.
Ben Coleman, a Labour MP and member of the Commons health and social care select committee, described the removal as troubling. He stated that NHS England destroys trust when it makes claims without checking them. Coleman noted that the statistics watchdog had warned there was no evidence for a claim of 117,000 extra operations due to the platform. He believes this latest overclaim could discourage more hospitals from using the system and threaten its viability. Coleman wants the NHS to drop Palantir and develop an open platform for health data.
Rhiannon Mihranian Osborne, an NHS doctor and Medact spokesperson, said it is a relief to see the webpages taken down. She questioned why NHS England spent years using shaky evidence to promote the alleged benefits of the software. Osborne noted that the removal only happened after multiple investigations exposed the misleading nature of the claims.
The decision comes as ministers plan to extend the deal amid lobbying efforts. Palantir has hired Labour peer Tom Watson as a full-time lobbyist. Watson recently wrote to Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, stating that Palantir wanted to help build Britain's sovereign technological capability. Unison general secretary Andrea Egan called any decision to extend the deal completely unacceptable. She described Palantir as a sinister American surveillance firm and said holding a vital NHS contract surrenders sovereignty over sensitive data. A group including Doctors Association UK and Medact wrote to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Cooper opposing the extension. They argue the deal could be safely ended in 2027 using a termination assistance period to allow for a transition. NHS England did not respond to requests for comment.
